


i think you’re worth keeping around (i think you’re worth holding onto)

by Saphire9875



Category: One Piece
Genre: Ace tries but he's 20 and stupid, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Daddy Issues, Depression, Don't kid yourself Annie is a mama's girl to the bone, Dorks in Love, Emotionally Repressed, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff and Humor, Garp is an old loveable asshole, Gen, Haruta is a brat, Intergenerational Trauma, Izou is awesome, Legacy (And the burdens that come with it), Luffy is a gift, Minor Character Death, Minor Reincarnation Vibes, Multi, OC heavy on the first chapters i won't apologize, OC is not actually a self-insert, Pining, Self-Indulgent, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Thatch is a little shit, Touch-Starved, Unreliable Narrator, all the whitebeard pirates have daddy issues sir i don't make the rules, and vibing with Ace's character, god how do I tag, innacurate descriptions of painting, probably not as sad as i make it sound, there's fluff too, this is really me working my issues through fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:20:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 35
Words: 28,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28321521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saphire9875/pseuds/Saphire9875
Summary: The brightest shade of sun I’ve ever seen, Annie can’t help but think, lips twisting into a smile of her own, defeated as it was.(She can almost hear Portgas D. Rouge laughing at her.)..In which a south blue girl is born with a death sentence at her neck. She is not the first, and no one ever lets her forget that. Ace/OC soulmate AU.
Relationships: Portgas D. Ace/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 44
Kudos: 144





	1. and you will surely be the death of me (but how could i have known?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's play a game called "how many The Oh Hellos songs that make me cry can i reference in one fic?", shall we?  
> (Title is from "Soap", and chapter title from "Like the Dawn", both of which will probably feature again soon.)

Annie is five when she realizes her life is not her own.

It’s the height of summer in Baterilla, and she’s out playing with the island kids. Soon enough her knees are all dirty and her neck is sweaty where her mama had made her wear a scarf, as always. 

_Mama says to never take it off when I’m out,_ Annie thinks after saying goodbye to the others. But it’s really hot and no one is around, and so she wraps it around her wrist instead, and makes her way back home.

“Annie, dear, thank god you’re back, help me with - _What do you think you’re doing?_ ” When Mama lays eyes on her, the girl knows she is in big trouble. She thinks maybe it’s because of the mud in her shoes, until her mama rips the folded scarf off her wrist.

Then her hands are holding her shoulders, nails sinking in like talons. “Mama, it hurts -”

“You foolish girl! Don’t you realize what will happen if you go around showing this mark of yours?” Mama screams. “This name around your neck is a death sentence, Annie!”

“But - But everybody says a soulmark is a good thing!” She protests, trying to squirm out of her mama’s hold. Tears surge up in her eyes. “I like having Ace’s -”

“ _Don’t say his name!_ ” Mama snaps. “That boy is likely dead by now, just like Rouge, and I won’t let _that man’s name_ be the death of you!” 

A heavy silence falls, cut only by the sobs Annie couldn’t hold in. _Stupid, stupid girl._

Her mama takes a deep breath, the hands fall off her shoulders, and suddenly Annie can see the naked _fear_ in her eyes. 

(She usually just has that look when papa comes to visit.)

“The world is not fair, Annie. To many, many people, the pirate king’s blood is a curse, and just by bearing his son’s name, your very existence becomes a crime.” Her mama tells her, and then she is crying too, and her hands are gentle again as they frame her face. “Promise me, little heart. Promise me you won’t ever die because of your soulmate.” 

And for the first time, Annie feels the noose around her neck _tighten._

“I promise, mama.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since Ace is a character so deeply shaped by Roger's legacy, I thought that it would be a fun idea for his match to be weighted down by Rouge's legacy instead. Naturally, that meant Annie would need to be raised in a place that was aware of Rouge's existence - and that was deeply hurt by her death. Many words and a few emotional breakdowns later, here I am!  
> Oh, and if anyone is curious about it: Annie's name being the name Ace would have if he was a girl is intencional. It has to do with the relationship between their mothers, and I actually wrote a short side-story about it I might post after this one is over. Speaking of it, never fear - this fic is finished and shall never be abandoned to the sands of time!  
> Finally, I do want to say that I didn't really intend to post this fic? It started as self-indulgent fluff and ended as an exploration of intergenerational trauma, which helped me through some really tough times this hellish year. That's... actually what motivated me to post it here, the thought that this could help someone else too, or even just entertain them. If you read all this, thank you very much! Leave me a comment and let's talk about weirdly healing fanfic experiences!


	2. and the way the shadows on the wall are cast (look like a twisted apparition from the past)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How does one write accents?? Seriously i'm a non-native speaker send help.  
> (Chapter title from the song "Grow", no need to inform the artist, you know the drill)

She is seven when she finds the portrait.

Annie has loved seeing her mama paint for as long as she can remember. Those graceful hands of her are able to create entire, vibrant worlds of color. Her paintings are highly sought after in South Blue, and Annie is very proud of her.

"I was so sure I had a blank canvas left…" Mama mumbles to herself, mouth chipping away at a nail. "Little heart, would you check at the attic for me?"

Annie leaps out of her seat with a smile. The attic, where her mama stored most of her important supplies, had always been out of limits of her "grabby hands". Letting her go alone has to be a sign Mama trusts her not to mess anything up. _I won't let you down, Mama!_

...Or so she tells herself, up until the point she sees the painting.

It isn't really that attention grabbing, shoved between a few boxes in the back, and cloth covered on top of that. Maybe that was why - Mama rarely kept paintings for herself, would rather sell them or hang them proudly on the walls. This one feels… like she wanted it to be forgotten.

 _Like you,_ she can't help but think, lifting a hand to her throat.

Before she knows it, her steps take her to the painting - the _portrait._ She runs her eyes from the man's dancing eyes to the tender smile of the woman he embraced. _They look happy._

Then she sees the signature at the bottom, on her mama's elegant writing - For Roger and Rouge.

" _The man that conquered everything in the world, Gold Roger." drawls on Mrs. Colton, the old history teacher. Other kids said she had to be halfway to the grave by now, and it showed in her detached way of speaking._

_"Gol D. Roger." Annie corrects. Mrs. Colton's eyes snap to her, suddenly quite sharp. "That's his name, right?"_

_"...You must have misheard, Miss Annie." She smiles tightly at her._

_It sounds like a warning._

The man in the portrait didn't look like a king. He looked like one of those besotted newly bonded's. But she supposes he could have been both, too.

_"Miss Rouge was our shining jewel." Mr. Ricky, one of the fishermen of the docks, tells her with a fond smile. "Sweet and clever, but there was a hint of steel inside her too. We knew she was meant to do great things, tha' we knew."_

_"Your Ma and her were thick as thieves." Mr. Goss points out, laying a set of fives on the table. Then he reaches out to ruffle her hair. "You're a little like her, Annie, ya know?"_

_"...Wha' happened to her?" She finds the courage to ask._

_As one, their eyes travel to her covered neck._

_"She fell for the wrong fella." The first finally says. "Got her heart broken."_

_They say nothing hurts like losing a bonded soulmate,_ Annie thinks, searching in vain for the woman's mark. She feels like it should have been on her neck as well. The thought makes her grind her teeth.

"I'm nothing like you." She tells the dead woman, cold as ice. "I won't die over some stupid boy."

Then she turns on her heels and leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that tag about the first chapters being OC-heavy? Welp. That's why. We're touring through Annie's whole childhood, or at least the most important pieces, so no Ace yet. Once we hit a certain age chapters will start to get bigger - actually, i should probably divide them into smaller ones, it's really disproportional... Ugh. Editing sucks.  
> If you read so far, thanks a lot! Leave me a comment and let's talk about the (non-existent) joys of editing!


	3. and you have taught me well to hide away (the things that i believed in)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annie is such a mama's girl... I should make this a tag.  
> (Chapter title from "Dear Wormwood")

She is ten when she holds a brush for the first time. 

"I can't afford to let you use my supplies to play, little heart.” Mama used to say with an apologetic smile. “When you’re older, though, I’ll teach you everything I know.”

Now Annie’s hands have grown into the elegant, sure grip of her mama, and there’s little her blue gaze can’t see. She’s ready, can feel it in her bones, almost as sure as the quiet flame in her heart. _I want to be a painter that can immortalize the warmth of someone’s smile._

Her mama’s smile is the brightest shade of pride when Annie tells her that. 

It’s not at all like drawing with a pencil - she can barely do a poor imitation of a fruit bowl, scowling all the while because the sunset looked amazing out there and couldn’t she paint that instead?

“Patience, Annie.” Mama tells her with a coy smile and a consoling pat on the head. “And discipline as well. You need to cultivate those as much as passion.”

 _What good is in patience?_ Annie scoffs, because waiting never did anyone good.

_“He’s not coming, Mama.” She yells, wishes she were taller so she could grab her face and make her look her in the eye, wishes she were stronger so she could drag her away from the damn porch. “Not my father, not Miss Rouge, not grandpa, none of them are ever coming back!”_

_But today is a bad day for her mama and her eyes stay on the horizon, waiting and waiting for all the people who left her._

“...No, Mama.” She says, simply. “It’s not as important.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't realize how short the ten years scene was until now, so I'm making today a double update! I'm excited to get into the meat of the story, since this is really just the prologue... As always, thanks a lot for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about unintentional bad parenting!


	4. if i’m kindling for a little while (at least i’d feel of use)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first and last time we see Mr. walking trashbag. Rejoice!  
> (Chapter title from "Boreas")

She is thirteen when she closes the door on her father’s face.

“What an unfortunate fate.” She hears the old ladies whispering when she passes, groceries in hand and utterly alone. “But then, Lily was always unlucky.”

The mention of her mama’s name makes her grit her teeth. Annie wishes she could scream at them, slap every single person that whispers behind their backs, and maybe then her helpless rage would go away. 

_“Baterilla is a special place, little heart.” Her mama tells her while bandaging her knees. “Our people protect each other, even if we disapprove or pity someone's actions. So don’t be harsh on them.”_

_Annie scowls, because those boys were speaking about how her mama was a doormat for never sending papa away, and so of course she was going to fight them, even if her knuckles bled and that weak body of hers hurt all over._

_“After all,” Mama gives her a patient smile._ “ _they accepted the two of us.”_

She’s not sure if it’s her mama’s request or her own reluctant gratitude that stays her hand, but she moves on. 

(There’s a reason Baterilla doesn’t have sixteen years olds, and that reason is chained to her soul.)

It’s dark already when she makes it back home. Her steps are loud in the silence. Quietly, she tiptoes to Mama’s room and cracks the door open. 

“Ben? Are you back?” Her mama’s voice rings out girlish to her ears. 

Annie forces a smile into her face and slips next to the bed, takes Mama’s elegant hands into hers. They’re clammy and cold. It feels _wrong._

“No, mama. It’s Annie, remember?” 

Mama furrows her brows, but the haze in her eyes is far too strong right now, and she stays in the past. Annie's eyes slide to the bedside table. She did remember to take the pills Dr. Kaler prescribed - would fall asleep any time now.

 _It's not fair._ The thought cuts through her mind, perhaps for the hundredth time. Her lip wobbles - she bites down on it. _My mama should live until she's old and grey and happy, and finally move on._

"Open up! Lily! _Open the fucking_ _door!_ " 

The call chills her to the bone. She bolts from the bed and marches down the hall with trembling hands.

 _But then again, the world was never so kind to the innocent, was it?_ She thinks, dream-like, as she opens the door to face her father. 

"Finally. You sure took your - Uh." It's only when their eyes meet, blue on blue, that he seems to realize who she is. "Well, if it isn't little Annie. Let me in, would'ja? I gotta talk with your mama about the changed locks -"

The stench on his breath makes her dizzy, so Annie sinks her fingers in the wood of the door to firm herself. Inside her, a storm brewed over years and years, gathers itself in the icy blue of her glare.

"There's a reason the lock was changed." She tells the man with a level voice. "You're not welcome here anymore."

The words feel sweet in her tongue. Annie can't help but smile at the dawning realization on the man's face, even as it rapidly shifts towards anger.

"...Who the hell do you think you are, girl?" He growls, and Annie can see it in the way his jaw clenches and the lines of his face shift, how much she looks like him, but -

 _That's not a father,_ Annie decides, and even if she stands over a head beneath the man, she truly feels as if she's looking at him from above. _That's a pathetic drunkard of a man._

"Me? I'm Annie. I'm a child of Baterilla, as my mother before me. Who are _you?"_ She says, stepping forward until he's forced to step down the porch. 

Annie sees the way his eyes shift to the sides then, to the neighbors with gritted teeth and fierce glares that his own screams attracted. Cornered prey.

"You have no right to come here after everything.” She hisses. “Now, get off my fucking sight." 

Without a word of protest, he turns on his tail and flees.

(She always knew he'd never cared enough to fight for them.)

After she's thanked everyone and dismissed their concerns, she shuts the front door softly behind her… And falls to her knees, gasping and sobbing, clawing at her throat as the noose grows tighter and _tighter._

Through all her panic, her mama sleeps on, undisturbed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annie is going through some rough times... And I'm afraid it's not getting better for a while. But it will!  
> Thanks a lot for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about complicated family dynamics!


	5. cold is the night without you here (just your absence ringing in my ears)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I really should stop being so mean to Annie.  
> (Chapter title from "Cold Is The Night")

She is fifteen when her mama passes away.

"Rouge." Mama calls, again and again, as her complexion grows more feverish and her mind takes her further into the past, to dance with her ghosts. 

She hasn't called her husband’s name for a while now - but she can never seem to remember she has a daughter either. Dr. Kaler had warned her this would happen eventually, even with all their care. 

Annie knows this is the end for her, can feel it in her bones. So she reaches out for Mama's hand, and _lies._

"I'm here, little sister." 

The smile that grows on her mama's lips is the brightest shade of hope. 

"I knew you would come." She says, fervent. "I knew you were stronger than all of them." 

Something shifts, then, as her flame grows more tenuous, and deeply hidden regret comes to surface. 

"I'm sorry." She whispers between her sobs. "I should have told you - I knew, I knew, the moment that man stepped into the shore and smiled, I knew he would be the death of you. You turned to me and said 'his smile is the most relentless sun', and I knew then."

Annie feels the most terrible urge to laugh, and laugh, because doesn't it all feel like a bad joke? _Destiny must have fun with fools like us._

"But I'm glad this won't happen with Annie." Her hand falters on its grip around her mama's, utterly shocked, but the woman squeezes with firmness that reminds her of her training days, _'painting requires a firm hand, little heart'._ "She is even stronger than you, Rouge, and her heart is bigger than the ocean. You would have loved her."

Annie thinks she can almost see it, then, the future her mama desired in her heart - a house right next to theirs, with a woman with flowers in her hair and a black-haired little boy, a bigger family than she ever had. Her heart _aches._

"I love you." Annie chokes out, both dead friend and daughter at this moment, because for once she knew they felt the very same. 

"Thank you for loving me." Her mama says, smiling through her tears, as her grip falters.

The hand falls limp by her side.

Annie's broken heart beats like a drum inside her chest, as if trying to compensate for the one beside her, the one that would never beat again. Her neck feels unbearably tight. 

Annie _screams._

_"Mama!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my first draft, Annie's farewell to her mother was a lot more tragic, as Miss Lily didn't remember her to the end... But I felt like that didn't quite fit the tone of the story, and I like this bittersweet scene better.  
> I'll make today and tomorrow double updates again - I've just finished editing the rest of the prologue and I'm so excited! With such small chapters, maybe I should make having two posted a day the norm...? Things to consider. As always, thank you for reading! Leave a comment and let's talk about tragic backstories!


	6. and it's true, you'll never beat (but you'll never break)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pleased to say that it's all (mostly) uphill for Annie after this point!  
> (Chapter title from "Hello, My Old Heart")

She is sixteen when she sees the bounty poster.

"I was elated when you said you would take over your mother's share of requests," her mama's employer says, twirling that thrice damned moustache between his fingers, "for surely Lily's daughter would be just as talented. But for the last year, your paintings have been utterly… uninspired."

The thin rail of a man twists his face into some resemblance of sympathy. "I'm aware of the _unfortunate_ circumstances, but if your work doesn't improve soon, I'm afraid my company won't require your services anymore."

"No need to wait, Mr. Pole." Annie tells him, stone faced, as she stands up and holds the door for him. "I'm sure your company will benefit from my absence. Good day."

The man scoffs, indignant at her lack of false courtesy, but he does leave.

Despite her relief, Annie can't help but shudder at the sudden silence. She hates it, how small and empty it makes her feel.

 _What painter could ever see beauty in such a pitiful home?_ She thinks, glancing at her many blank canvases. With a sigh, she turns around and leaves.

It's summer again in South Blue, her favorite season. But even the sight of the gentle golden light bathing the world isn't enough to dispel the cloud of melancholy that follows her.

"There you go, dear." She can feel the pity in Mrs. Berry's stare as she hands her some fresh fruit from her stall, but Annie is too used to it by now to be bothered. 

_"A ghost",_ she is sure they say behind her back. " _Miss Rouge's ghost, her mother's ghost. Got her heart broken, that one."_

 _They're wrong_ , Annie thinks. _My heart is frozen._

"...Portgas, it says." 

"Yes, Fire Fist. Seems he's an east blue boy."

"...No mistake."

The words freeze her in her tracks. In a haze, she turns her head to the bar, where the older men are gathered around a newspaper, wide eyed.

Before she knows it, her steps take her to them.

"Little Annie -" Mr. Eldrick starts, but his twin shakes his head at him, tight lipped. Wordlessly, she is handed the newspaper.

 _The bounty section._ _Of course._ Her eyes scurry the faces she didn't care for, until she is drawn to the East Blue section, a motion that feels like a distant, half-forgotten impulse.

"...He doesn't look like a prince." She muses, with an unbidden smile tugging at the corner of her lips. No, Fire Fist Ace looked like trouble, even with his face half hidden by the flames and the hat. But - "Those are her freckles."

Somewhere inside her, she had known he would look like Gol D. Roger, just like she looked like her shitty father. But there was something of his mother there too, and it makes her irrationally happy.

"...Yeah." One of the men says, almost in wonder. "They are."

It's only when Annie gets home that she realizes she is still smiling.

(That day, she paints the brash oranges and yellows and pinks of the sunset, and feels her heart start to melt.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if I ever said that Annie is a year younger than Ace, but well - now you have a sense of the timeline.  
> Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about life-changing small moments!


	7. steady is the hand that's come to terms (with the lessons it has had to learn)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what? Annie deserves more parental figures (and Ace too, but that's for later).  
> (Chapter title from "Cold is the Night")

Portgas D. Jack has lived in a cottage next to the cliffs for as long as she can remember. The man is older than anyone has the right to be, but his face and body are still hard from battles everybody is too young to recall, and he always stands proud.

He and her mama had nothing in common, except their love for Miss Rouge. Every year, on the anniversary of her death ( _his_ birthday), Mama went out to his cottage and they drank together like old friends.

Annie hadn't seen him for years now, but on January 1°, she grabs some wine from her mama's old stash and knocks at his door.

"...I prefer whiskey." It's all he tells her before standing to the side to allow her entrance.

He drinks the wine anyway, and doesn't say a word when she pours herself some, even though she is far from legal. 

_Maybe he just likes the company,_ Annie thinks as she looks at him out of the corner of her eyes. He's Miss Rouge's uncle, and was never married as much as she knows. She understands solitude as well.

An hour later, the man sighs and puts his cup down. "Alright, girl. What are you here for?"

Annie clicks her tongue, cheeks growing red despite herself. She looks to the side. "...They say you're still the strongest warrior in Baterilla."

He snorts. "Try the _only_ warrior."

"Still." Annie insists, gathering courage to look at him properly. "You can protect yourself. You can protect -"

"The people I love?" He says. It feels like a shout. Annie shudders, regretful. "No one can protect anyone, little girl. You should get that inside your head."

He stands up, clearly deeming the conversation done.

"That's a cowardly way to think." Annie can't help but hiss, blue stare boring through him. "Surely, even this weak body of mine can protect someone. I won't give up because some sad old man told me to."

She turns on her heels, fuming - and has her arm caught in an iron grip. She whimpers.

"Hah. Insolent brat. You're all bark and no bite, aren't you?" The old man growls, up in her face. Annie feels the noose on her neck grow tighter, but grits her teeth and stands her ground. 

A long moment.

"...Well, aren't you a little spitfire?" 

She almost falls when his hand lets her go. Somehow, she finds in herself good humor enough to laugh. "People have called me cold, and stony, but never a 'spitfire'."

"Well, you're spitfire now, get over it." He tells her, turning to open a chest full of _weapons, wow -_ and taking out a simple, fairly small pistol. 

"You've got your ma's weak constitution." It's not a question, but Annie nods anyway, however pained. "It would take you a lot to hone your body into a proper weapon, but that's not what you want." He hands her the pistol. " _That_ can protect you just as well, and it might suit you better. I hear you have sharp eyes."

There's a crooked smile on old man Jack's face, a challenge if she'd ever seen one. She sends him a smile of her own, and takes the pistol. _Game on._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our girl is starting to make her move. Also, old man Jack is the first on a line of OC's I never thought I would create and like so much... He might seem a bit rough now, but he has some softness left for Annie.  
> As always, thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about the one piece brand of tough love!


	8. all that's left for me to climb to the heavens (is the chasm of the night and a matter of time)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet MORE parental figures!  
> (Chapter title from "Constellations")

Everybody knows Miss Club is the shadiest merchant in Baterilla - and by shadiest, Annie means she deals with pirates. Weapons, supplies, fake identities, log poses, treasure maps.

Baterilla has no love to spare for pirates since Gol D. Roger - but since the lost generation, they have no love for the world government either, and so Miss Club gets a free pass with her business. 

Annie walks into the store with her head up, but can't help but feel even younger than she already is.

"Well, if it isn't little Annie." The woman smiles at her in between cigarette sighs. Miss Club hasn't changed a bit since Annie was a child, and she's pretty sure no one can pinpoint her age. "What brings you here, dearie?"

"I have a proposal to make."

Miss Club snorts. "Who's the lucky man?"

Annie’s mouth twitches up. "You know what I mean, Miss Club."

The woman stands up, taller than most men in those heels of hers, misty eyes trained right on her. "Actually, I don't, dearie. Never thought you had an inclination for the underworld."

"I don't. But I need a new employer to sell my paintings. And pirates are as good a market as anything else. Those vain captains would love to see a portrait of themselves hanged up in their cabins, don't you think?" Annie tells her, praying she doesn't sound completely stupid.

"...I can't say it's my most _requested_ merchandise, but it's not an idea without merit, I'll give it to ya." She raises an inquisitive brow. "But are you sure a sweet thing like you can manage to face some of those crooks? They wouldn't dare to _hurt_ you, but they're not all so charming as, say, Fire Fist."

Annie draws in a sharp breath, laying a cold stare at Miss Club's innocent smile. The woman is far too cheeky for her tastes. " _Yes,_ I'm sure."

The woman evaluates her for a moment longer, and then, seemingly satisfied, breaks in a smile. "Pleased to make business with you, little Annie."

"Likewise, _old lady._ " Annie smiles sweetly, and revels on the way the woman's eye twitches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The prologue is finally done! There's still a little way to go before we meet Ace, but now we know who Annie is and what she has at her disposition. Also, Miss Club. I love her.  
> Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about that good old cards theme that might be starting to be obvious now in my names. (Seriously, I would love a chance to ramble about it. Hm. I might have to make a side chapter.)


	9. you've got to go on (further than you've ever gone)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is this? Two scenes in one chapter?! I'm getting bolder with my editing choices...  
> (Chapter title from "Second Child, Restless Child")

She is eighteen when she meets Portgas D. Ace.

“Did Miss Rouge fight with guns, too?” Annie musters the courage to ask old man Jack, the weight of the musket clumsy on her hands as she aims. She had long mastered the pistol, and the old asshole insisted on her learning how to handle heavier weapons, just in case.

_Bang!_

A shot lands right on the place the dummy’s forehead would have been. Annie smiles to herself and wipes the sweat out of her forehead.

“Always wondered why those damn marines never aim for the head.” Jack says gruffly, in a tone she now recognizes as approval. “...No.” He finally says. “She preferred staffs. Could even fight her way out of a scruff with just some old pipe.”

“I did call her spitfire, though.” He admits, almost shamed.

Annie, however, smiles, feeling lighter at his honesty. 

“I figured. You agreed to teach me a little too quickly… but I do hope you grew to see me a little for myself too.” The last words slip out without consent. Annie bites on her lip. 

A heavy hand lands on her head, ruffling her hair roughly. “You’re far too annoying to be anyone else but you, brat.” 

Her traitorous cheeks heat up. “...Shut up, old man.”

“Glad we cleared this out. Now, dodge practice. Grab the blindfold.”

Annie groans, already feeling the sting of the rubber bullets.

******************************

“Great work as always, dearie.” Miss Club smiles, allowing herself one admiring glance at the painting. Annie had brought to life an old sketch of a north blue pirate’s hometown. It always surprises her that wanted people could be so sentimental. 

“Any new offers?” Annie asks absently, counting her money. She did have enough for this month, but some extra cash never hurt anyone.

“...Just one.” The woman’s subdued tone sends alarm bells ringing in Annie’s mind. She lifts her head. Miss Club’s brows are deeply furrowed. 

“Is it some rough folks?” She asks, slowly. It wasn’t common for it to happen - she suspected Miss Club tended to keep her more unsavory clients out of Annie’s reach - but as she grew older and started to carry old man Jack’s pistol on her hip, Miss Club relaxed a little.

“Not exactly.” The woman takes a long drag from her cigarette. “But they are the real deal. Powerful. I would like to say I don’t know why they asked for you of all people… But I know better.”

Annie stays silent, mind racing a thousand miles. 

“It’s the Whitebeards.” She finally says. “They want a portrait with all their commanders. It’s been a while since they had a full house.”

The noose tightens around her neck, and her heart beats fast and fragile like a hummingbird’s wings. 

“Old lady…” Annie starts, ignoring the woman’s scowl. “If you ever told anyone about my mark, I would like to be aware of it now.”

Hurt flashes across Miss Club’s misty eyes. “You should know better, little Annie.”

“...Sorry. I had to be sure.” Annie admits. In an impulse, she reaches for the woman’s hand and squeezes. “You’ve been good to me. I won’t forget it.”

Miss Club’s eyes dance from Annie’s face to their enlaced hands. She’s never seemed more vulnerable than at that moment.

“You’re going, then?” She asks, voice small. “You’ve never stepped foot in the Grand Line.”

“I guess there’s a first time for everything, right?” Annie says, faking a brave smile. 

Miss Club hugs her then. “Be careful, dearie.”

Annie’s missed that type of comfort. She hugs her back. “...I will.” 

_Please don’t be disappointed, Mama._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If the plot device for actually getting Annie into the Grand Line seems flimsy... It's because it is *nervous chuckle*. Okay, seriously, I have fucking idea of how common cameras are in the one piece universe. The media and the marines clearly use them, but the rest??? I don't know, so let's just say Mr. Whitebeard is an old-fashioned guy and he wants a painted family portrait, damn it. As for why Annie especifically... Well. As you saw, Miss Club and Annie have their suspicions, but it won't be confirmed for a while yet. Kindly roll with it!  
> Next chapter coming soon. As always, thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about how Ace should have kept using pipes/staffs once in a while, it's so cool!


	10. you've got to run far (from all you've ever known)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's get this story moving, shall we?  
> (Chapter title from "Second Child, Restless Child")

The day Annie leaves Baterilla is the hottest of the year. Her scarf feels clammy around her neck, but Annie knows she can’t afford to take it out this time.

“Take care of yourself, little Annie!” Mrs. Berry tells her, borrowing a handkerchief from her exasperated wife.

“Always knew she was gonna do great things.” Mr. Goss points out happily. 

“You guys act as if she isn’t coming back…” Darry, one of the kids she used to scuffle with, grumbles, but he does send her a nervous look. “You are coming back, aren’t ya?”

Annie smiles indulgently at all of them, even though her feet are starting to hurt from standing there for their goodbyes for almost an hour now. Their reactions, however exaggerated, make her feel warm. “Of course!”

“Stop swarming her, you fools.” Miss Club scoffs, towering over most everyone and sending the captain another apologetic smile. “She’s gonna lose her ride at this rate.”

“Isn’t old man Jack coming to say goodbye?” Mr. Eldrick asks. 

His twin narrows his eyes at him. “Who are you to call anyone old?”

A mirrored glare. “I’m  _ ten minutes  _ older, you hypocritical little shit!”

“You know how he is, he hates crowds.” Annie rolls her eyes. “I went to see him already. And I really have to go now, so… Bye, everyone!” 

Annie turns on her heels and embarks the ship. The captain murmurs a “finally” and orders his tripulation to set sail. 

When she looks back, everyone is still at the docks, waving and screaming “take care of yourself”. Even Miss Club and old man Jack.

_ Stupid old lady. Stupid master _ .  _ Stupid everyone. _

Tears surge up at her eyes, but they're nothing compared to her smile.

“I will miss you!” She screams, and then, with a sudden bout of courage -“I’ll tell Ace you guys send ‘hi’!”

It’s almost eerie, the surprised silence that falls over the crowd. Not all of them understand, not all of them approve. But they don’t have to - Annie knows they love her anyway. She’s a child of Baterilla.

“Bring the stupid boy home!” Old Man Jack screams, suddenly.

“You better come back bonded!” Someone else teases. 

“Don’t announce it to the world, you idiots -” Another reprimands.

_ Despite everything, so is Ace,  _ it dawns on her.  _ Maybe I’ve underestimated my people. They are moving on, too. _

As their voices fade into the horizon, Annie’s heart beats like a drum, melted by the summer heat once more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baterilla wasn't supposed to be so loving either in my first draft... But this is a story about healing first and foremost, and this little broken island deserves to heal too. On a lighter note, it's time to meet actual canon characters!  
> Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about side characters that grow on you!


	11. but i hear the rumble (as the tectonic plates start to shake)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are!  
> (Chapter title from "Constellations")

The journey is long and terribly difficult. Annie jumps ship more than three times, always protected by the pass Mr. Whitebeard gave her - but the Grand Line is a dangerous place nonetheless. She’s just a landbound girl, a painter with delicate hands that doesn’t belong there, she sees it in the crewmen’s eyes. And yet - 

“There’s so much beauty here.” She tells a cabin boy named Trev that had taken to follow her around since she had almost fallen overboard trying to sketch the silhouette of a wandering sea king. “I can see why some people spend their whole lives exploring this ocean.”

The boy barks a laugh, grabbing his scrub. “Are you about to become a pirate, Miss Annie?” 

“...I doubt it. But it’s a fun idea, isn’t it?” She tells him, honestly.

Fishman Island, in special, is the stuff of dreams for Annie. She would love to see more, maybe even ask for a mermaid or fishman to pose for her - but Mr. Whitebeard is stationed there, his protected territory, for the month, and so she is to embark the _Moby Dick_. 

“It’s enormous.” She mutters under her breath at the sight of the great white ship.

The kid sent to catch her up at the port - she thinks their name is Haruta - laughs at that.

“Well, our crew is pretty big too. As is pops.” 

She clenches her art supplies close to her. _That’s it, then. No turning back now._

“Welcome back, commander Haruta!” One of the crewmen guarding the entrance greets. Annie’s brows go up to her hairline. _Wait, if they're a commander… How old are they even?!_

Haruta sends her an annoyed look, like they know exactly what she’s thinking.

“Pops is gonna want to see you before we settle you in.” They say, and Annie’s heart almost bursts out of her chest. 

“A-Already?” She hisses, unable to catch herself.

“Oh, man, don’t look so scared, I’m starting to feel bad.” Haruta tells her with a tone that was probably meant to be teasing, but comes out a little condescending. It makes her grit her teeth.

_Yes, jerk, I’m scared of the strongest man in the world. Sue me._

She looks to the ground and focuses on keeping her breath easy.

“...Alright, we’re here. Hey, pops!”

“So my painter finally arrives. What’s your name, girl?” The voice is like the rumble of thunder. 

Annie looks up… and feels herself relax.

The man is gigantic, there’s no working around that, and even with all those aiding machines connected to his body she knows he could flatten her to the ground in half a second. But he has kind eyes. She has dealt with many pirates in the past, but none of them had such warmth in the way they looked at her.

 _Here’s a good man that survived the cruelty of the world,_ Annie thinks. Maybe that was why Ace joined him. Maybe that was why he called her here. But she couldn’t know that for certain, could she? 

“I’m Annie, sir. It’s a pleasure to work with you.” She smiles and bows, the perfect manners her mama insisted she learned.

“ _Guarara_. A polite one, what a breath of fresh air.” Mr. Whitebeard laughs. She thinks the sound might have shaken the deck, just a little. 

“Would you like me to start working right away, sir?” 

“No, some of my commanders are late, the brats. We’ll be going to the New World now to meet them halfway. Just relax and enjoy the stay, Miss Annie. While you’re my guest, treat this ship as your home.”

“I’m quite sure Baterilla is half as big as this ship, sir.” Annie allows herself a side smile.

“Oh, I like her.” One of the men close to Mr. Whitebeard’s chair pipes up. His pompadour is questionable at best.

“Thatch, please, don’t scare the girl. She looks like a breeze could make her fall over.” Another one drawls out up in his captain’s shoulder, and _oh,_ Annie recognizes this one, it’s the freaking _first mate._ She would _kill_ to paint Marco the Phoenix’s zoan form. 

“I’m sure I can manage a few nosy pirates.” Annie tells them, trying not to think about how many of them could, in fact, make her fall over with just a punch. It’s a big ship after all, and even if Mr. Whitebeard inspires confidence, she can’t really say the same for everyone else yet.

_Mama, please watch over me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haruta is one of those anime characters that made me stare at the screen for a solid minute, wondering about their gender (and age). I'm pretty sure they're canonically a boy, because of the whole stupid "women don't fight in whitebeard's crew" thing, but I've seen fanfics with them as a girl and I really liked them. In the end, though, I just said "fuck it" and made them nonbinary. Also, Whitebeard strikes me as one of those people with a naturally comforting presence, and Annie as someone good at picking up intent...  
> Next chapter coming soon. As always, thank you very much for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about the power of first impressions!


	12. and i feel my blood pounding (like the beat of a drum)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izo is awesome. No, I won't be taking criticism from this.  
> (Chapter title from "Constellations")

Ace is one of the commanders late for the meeting, she learns at dinner. The man with the pompadour from before - apparently he is Thatch, the _commander_ of the fourth division and head cook of the ship, fuck her - seems to have taken upon himself to be her one man reception wagon. 

“I do this with everybody new, so you’re stuck with me for a few days, girlie.” He tells her with an easy smile and a shrug, and Annie shouldn’t be so thankful she has some company at dinner but she is anyway, no matter how annoying his smug face is whenever she compliments his food.

And so Annie spends the next day walking around and sketching places and people she thinks are interesting - she isn’t able to catch a _feather_ of Commander Marco, but she’ll survive - while Commander Thatch occasionally pipes up to offer her some guidance and funny stories about pranks he did. 

It’s nice, but she misses her training - none of the captains she sailed with seemed much inclined to let her in the training grounds of the crew, actually they all laughed when she asked - so the next time they stroll around she gathers courage to ask Thatch about that. He raises his brows and seems amused, but he does take her to a part of the deck with a weapon’s range, so there’s that.

 _Master would be fuming at me for having neglected it for so long,_ Annie thinks as she makes some very needed maintenance in her pistol and grabs some rubber bullets. There’s a few men around, but none seems to be taking her very seriously. She’s getting a little sick of it. 

Annie marches to the most distant target, readies her weapon, and lets everything fade away. The people in the deck, the sound of the other guns being fired, even the sound of the waves, turns into _silence._ And she sees it then - the bullseye.

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

A smirk cuts the corner of Annie’s lips. Her skills didn’t go rusty at least. It’s a small comfort in such a dangerous sea, but she enjoys it.

“Huh, didn’t take you for a markswoman, girlie.” Commander Thatch tells her. He seems pleasantly surprised.

“I’m not really.” Old man Jack would cuff her on the head if she bragged like that. “A girl’s gotta know how to defend herself, right?”

“Do you know your way around other guns?” An elegant voice cuts in. Annie startles when she realizes Commander Izo has made his way to them. The man is the best marksman in the crew and has a killer fashion sense on top of it. Annie is suitably intimidated.

“My master has been working me up to that, but I’m still useless with musket-sized guns.” Annie tells him, hesitant.

“Your size isn’t really suited for that calibre.” He remarks, and Annie still can’t tell what he’s thinking. He has a very good poker face. 

“No, but it could come in handy one day. Besides, it builds up arm strength that I sorely need.”

“...You’re far too self-deprecating.” Commander Izo tells her after a long, searching gaze.

_Is that an insult or a backhanded compliment?_

“Sorry?”

“Oh, just say you want to train her already!” Commander Thatch screams. Even _that_ sounds cheerful from him. “This is painful to see.”

People have called her eyes icy before, but the glare Izo gives Thatch is _steel_. 

“Shut it, Thatch.” When he turns to her again, he’s almost bashful, and suddenly Annie thinks he’s pretty okay after all. “I did want to ask if you wanted some tips. You’re remarkably good for someone from the blues.”

From Thatch’s snicker, Annie would guess she’s red as a tomato now.

“Y-yes! I would be honored!”

********************************

Annie used to think old man Jack was a brutal teacher. Now she feels like she’s been babied for two years straight. Commander Izo is a monster and she elects him as her new favorite in the ship after a single hour of training. Commander Thatch’s pout when she informs him that sends her into a fit of laughter.

It gets worse after she dodges a stray bullet on instinct. The boy, clearly a new addition to Izo’s division, looks so ashamed she feels pretty bad for him. Izo chews him out for half an hour straight and then demands to know her master’s name. 

“Everybody calls him old man Jack, but I’m not really sure of _who_ he was, I guess.” She lies. Her master’s last name is as much of an open secret in Baterilla as the mark on her neck, but she isn’t about to disclose it to a Grand Line pirate, no matter how much she likes him. Still, the man grows strangely thoughtful once she tells him - before snapping out of it and dragging her to some entirely new training.

“This ability your master honed in you is called Observation Haki, and it can save your life once you master it.” Izo tells her while blindfolding her. 

She groans. “Not this again…”

He, of course, ignores her. “Boys, I’ve got some extra exercises for you.”

And this is how Annie spends the rest of her day dodging rubber bullets and half-hearted blows from the newbies in the 16th division. By the end of it, they’re all sore, but Annie feels some complicity in their shared groans of pain.

“I’m impressed, girlie. You sure have a knack for Observation.” Thatch pats her shoulder at dinner. “Any more surprises?”

“I’m pretty sure this is just reflexes, but thanks.” She raises an incredulous brow. Dodging those bullets seems to have earned her more respect than actually using her gun. The Grand Line is weird. “And uh, no, I guess. Well - there’s one thing.”

Commander Thatch leans in. “What?”

“...You think Commander Marco would let me draw his phoenix form?” 

Thatch laughs so hard at that they attract attention from the other tables. She sinks into her seat and tries to contain her smile.

*************************************

“So, I heard you want me to pose for you, Miss Painter? I’m flattered.” It’s the first thing Commander Marco tells her the next morning.

“...I’m going to kill Thatch.” Annie hisses. 

(He does end up transforming for her. Annie thanks him for about a thousand times, cheeks blazing red, until he tells her to chill.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Look, Marco's phoenix form is really pretty, ok?  
> Almost forgot to wish everyone a happy new year! Let's hope 2021 is better than this one. Like, seriously, please.  
> Thank you very much for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about our favorite Whitebeard commanders!


	13. i know maybe you’re not quite ready (to loosen your hold on a safety blanket)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, remember when I said it was time for canon characters? I lied. Here's one more OC.  
> (Chapter title from "Soap")

The rest of the divisions start to arrive throughout the week. She doesn’t think she has ever seen such a packed ship. 

“Soon enough they’ll start brawling everywhere, and then we’ll have even more work on our hands.” Trisha, one of the 1st division nurses Annie has been rooming with, tells her with a long-suffering groan. 

There aren’t many fighting women in Mr. Whitebeard’s ranks - she had heard about it before - but Trisha dismisses her concerns that they had been forced into the medical ranks. 

“Pops is an old-fashioned fool, but he’s not an ass. He may huff about it but can never deny it if any of his kids wants to fight. Why else would you be allowed in the training grounds with no fuss, silly?” Trisha scoffs, giving her a loving finger-flick at her forehead. “By the way, are you planning to stay in the 16th division?”

“...I’m not even joining the Whitebeards, Trisha. Did you forget?” Annie forces a smile.

Trisha gives her one of those “I know more than you do” stares older kids used to give her at school. Annie wonders if she already thinks of her as a younger sister. The thought makes her throat tighten in an not entirely unpleasant way, oddly. 

Anyhow, Annie likes to hang out at the infirmary. In such a noisy ship, the silence is a welcome reprieve. _Isn’t it strange, how I used to hate silence so much?_

But she knows the actual reason - Annie never liked an empty house.

_The Whitebeards are the biggest family ever, aren’t they?_ A little voice whispers to her.

(It sounds strangely like Portgas D. Rouge.)

Annie scowls. It wouldn’t do to have foolish thoughts like that. She has bigger things to worry about - like the fact the second division is due to come tomorrow.

************************************

“I… don’t think I feel so well.” Annie grumbles from beneath her covers. 

She can almost _feel_ Trisha putting her hands on her hips in that bossy way of hers. “The _Spadille_ is coming today, and we’ll all go in port for the party! You’ll even finally get started on that portrait of yours!” 

“...Give me a minute, would ya?” 

The woman sighs and leaves the room. Annie actually considers staying there for the day, a sudden, terrible surge of fear and embarrassment coming over her, but - 

_“I’ll tell Ace you guys send ‘hi’!”_

Annie sighs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which I throw the Whitebeard sexism out of the window. Also yes, Ace still has his ship and tripulation, because why the fuck wouldn't he?  
> Next chapter coming soon. As always, thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about stupid canon decisions (all due respect to Oda, haha).


	14. i was sleeping in the garden when i saw you first (and like the dawn, you broke the dark and my whole earth shook)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary drop, at last!  
> (Chapter title from "Like the Dawn")

“...Not yet, you say?” Annie’s smile falls off her face.

Commander Thatch suddenly looks very uncomfortable. “W-Well, pops said he’d rather have the party today and let everybody freshen up a little before putting you to work… I could try to talk to him, though?”

Annie sighs. “No, I understand. I guess I was just excited to start soon.”

Thatch fidgets in his place. “Uh, then how about you come help me in the kitchen? You did say you liked cooking, didn’t you?”

Annie perks up a little. “Really? I’ve never been in a professional kitchen!”

Thatch lets out a relieved breath. “Oh, thank god.”

Once the fourth commander turns on his heels to guide her, Annie allows herself a smirk. _The sad face always works._

The kitchen is the fourth division’s domain, and true to their leader, an utterly chaotic place. That day, Annie bounces around from helping with the dishes to making appetizers and finally to waitress duty, glad to have her time occupied so her mind wouldn’t wander. 

“You’ve got some balls to come help today of all days, new girl.” Clark, the head waiter, remarks as they finally emerge from that hell of a kitchen and take a deep breath of night air. “Those reunions are always wild.”

“Huh.” Annie takes a look at the night sky, wondering if she could take some time off to paint a few constellations. “Didn’t realize so much time had gone by.”

“Alright guys, let’s get going - what division do you want?” Clark turns to her. Annie tenses.

“... Doesn’t matter.” She shrugs.

“Right. Take the second then, they’re less intimidating - mostly.” He tells her, dumping her share of the trays on her. Then the little shit smirks. “Also, the commander is hot as sin.”

Annie is sure her face has never heaten up so quickly, and that’s saying a lot.

The sheer wall of sound that hits Annie much before she lays eyes in the island is enough to make her wide-eyed, but the sight itself is something else, a thousand torches across the shore line like a trail of stars, dancing and laughing bodies swirling around. 

She is soon alone among the crowd, the atmosphere surrounding her like a fever dream. She finds herself smiling without reason, weaving her way through the many crews. One or another would ask for one of the appetizers she carried, or suddenly pull her into a dancing circle and spin her around, like she was an old friend. Annie loved it.

The surprisingly small ship with the spade flag was a pretty good indicator of where the main corps of the second division would be. She settles around the place, offering food and drinks, while her eyes wander in search of familiar faces. Annie had spent more time than she liked to admit looking at the newspaper’s bounty section of Ace’s crew. She is pretty sure to have spotted Skull’s distinct mask and the flash of taciturn Cornelia’s sword, and it somehow makes the situation more real to her. _He’s truly here._

Her heart almost stops when she feels the bulk of a large feline press against her legs. 

“You must be Kotatsu.” Annie murmurs, feeling sweat run down her temple. Slowly, she turns around and glances down at the lynx with a nervous smile. And it… purrs, like a freaking stray cat, rubbing its large, fanged face against her. “No way.”

Kotatsu keeps its large, innocent eyes on her.

Annie sighs, and, sneaking a look to the sides to see if anyone’s attention is on her, leans down to scratch the lynx’s ears. “You big softie.”

“Commander Ace’s cat has sure taken a shine to you, lassie.” A man’s voice remarks right from behind her. Annie jumps to her feet and turns with a sheepish smile.

She has to crane her neck to look at the man, even with his bowed head. Even from that distance, she feels the foul breath and sees the row of crooked teeth smiling down at her. A shiver runs up her spine. _I don’t like his eyes._

From behind her, Kotatsu growls, softly. Annie puts a gentle restraining hand at the huge cat’s head, and smiles up at the man with cold courtesy. “I guess. Would you like something, sir?”

She doesn’t like the malice that flashes on his eyes then. (It reminds her of the way father used to look at mama when he thought she wasn’t looking.)

_Maybe her pistol would have to be used today after all._

“Hey, Teach! What did I tell you about bothering the serving girls?” The man that approaches them next is almost laughingly small compared to this Teach fella, but there’s something about the contrast between his laid back posture and the note of steel in his voice that makes his presence just as strong.

And Annie doesn't need to look at his face to know she'll find Miss Rouge's freckles and the pirate king's smirk - no, she knows just by the way the letters inked in her skin _burn_.

“Alright, alright, no need to be so uptight, commander.” Teach laughs, dismissive, before sauntering away without a second glance to her. Annie feels the irrational tension pooled in her shoulders ease.

“Sorry about that. Some of them get really stupid when they drink.” Portgas D. Ace tells her with a polite, practiced smile. Annie senses the distaste when he glances at Teach’s retreating figure, and wonders if he, too, had bad experiences with drunkards.

“...It’s alright. He wasn’t too much of a bother.” She lies through her teeth, sinking a hand into Kotatsu's soft fur like a lifeline. Ace's eyes are drawn to the gesture.

"Well, so that's where you ran off to, you scaredy cat." Then, to her - "He isn't a fan of big crowds, you know."

Annie hums, wanting to look away from the shaggy curls on his hair and the broad line of his shoulders, but finding herself unable to. "Well, I think he's braver than he seems." She tells him, absently rubbing a spot under the lynx's chin.

"...You're right about that, little lady." He tells her with a smile, a real one this time.

_Ah._

It makes dimples show up in the corner of his mouth - but just the right one - and his eyes dance with some barely contained fire. It makes her fingers itch with the urge to sketch it out and immortalize it, for it surely was - 

_The brightest shade of sun I’ve ever seen,_ Annie can’t help but think, lips twisting into a smile of her own, defeated as it was.

(She can almost hear Portgas D. Rouge laughing at her.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's about the italicized ah.  
> It happened, folks! It's not a drill! And on Ace's birthday, nonetheless! Happy birthday to our boy, and happy new year to us haha! Thank you for reading. Leave me a comment and let's talk about "oh no, they're hot" moments.


	15. take this burden away from me (and bury it before it buries me)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sweet reminder that Ace still has no fucking idea of who Annie is, but he's getting there.  
> (Chapter title from "Cold Is The Night")

_How can a meeting mean so much to a person and so little to another?_ Annie ponders as she chews on an apple. 

"Ugh, not so loud." Trisha complains by her side, rubbing her temples.

Annie lifts an amused brow. "If you're that bad, don't step foot out of the infirmary today."

"Right you are, Ann." The woman tells her before opening the room's door. "Good luck with your portrait."

"I'm sure gonna need it." Annie murmurs, groaning as she realizes how much stuff she needs to carry to the captain's cabin.

"You sure you don't want any help, girlie?" Thatch drawls out as he trails behind her. Annie wants to punch his stupid grin.

"I have it under control, commander." She grits out, while trying to balance the canvas and the pencil case in her left hand.

"Here, let me." The voice sends her heart hammering in her chest. Ace's polite smile greets her when she looks up. She opens her mouth to tell him there's no need, but he's already taking half the supplies. 

"And they say chivalry is dead." Thatch teases. Ace sends him a suddenly worried look.

"Uh, Makino told me it's polite to carry a girl's things for her. It is, right?" 

"If they're not completely stubborn, yeah." Thatch points out. 

Annie glares at the cook. "I was perfectly fine on my own, but thank you anyway, commander Ace."

She smiles at him. Ace's gaze lingers a little more than usual on her. It makes her nervous in a way she immediately hates.

"You're welcome." He mumbles before starting to walk again. 

"Guarara. Everyone's finally here." Mr. Whitebeard thunders out as they reach his cabin. It is, to no one's surprise, twice as big as Annie's room. She immediately takes note of the windows and the position of light, while discretely skimming over the other commanders' faces.

"Thank you again for the opportunity, Mr. Whitebeard. Do you have any preferences for the portrait?"

"Still a polite lass, I see. Well, to be frank, I don't mind at all as long as all my sons fit into it with me."

"He would like to remain seated." Commander Marco says in a voice that leaves no room for objection. Mr. Whitebeard lets out a contraried gruff that makes Annie hide a twitch in the corner of her mouth. _They are truly a family here._

"Very well. I'll just set everything up and we can start." She inclines her head to the other commanders. "My name is Annie, I'll be in your care for the next few hours. Please make yourselves comfortable."

She is met with absent nods, an inquisitive glance from commander Haruta, and a smile from commander Izo, which suits her just fine.

"Commander Ace, you can give my things back now."

"Just Ace." He retorts, handing her the precious materials.

She tries not to be taken aback by that, but the letters in her neck are burning again. It makes her dizzy. "Sure, Ace."

With a deep breath, she turns on her heels and decides to firmly close the door on that bothersome bond of hers. The set up of her portable studio is muscle memory at this point, as is the critical gaze she levels upon the men she was about to memorialize.

"Commander Jozu, would you please step closer to the others?" She gently instructs. The man in question startles before nodding. Despite his intimidating figure, he seems to be a shy one. Annie wonders if he would be offended if she asked to paint his diamond form, oh to see the sunlight reflecting through him… But she’s getting sidetracked.

"Commander Haruta, how about you come a bit more to the front?" She suggests, trying not to narrow her eyes at their annoyed 'tch'. _God, aren’t you a brat?_

Her other suggestions grow fewer and further from each other as she immerses herself in her work, commiting to memory Commander Vista's extravagant clothes and the twinkle in Mr. Whitebeard's eyes. Her hands almost hesitate when it's Ace's turn, but she moves on, determined to give everyone equal detail.

"Alright, the basics are done. I can finish the rest on my own." She tells them, jumping from her stool.

"Already?" Thatch asks, wide eyed. 

"Sure. I don't usually make my clients pose all the way." Annie tells him, absently. "Don't worry, I have a good memory. The final painting won't suffer. Are two days a reasonable period, Mr. Whitebeard?"

The strongest man in the world seems thoroughly amused. "Of course, Miss Annie."

Thatch makes a few teasing more remarks about how she couldn't possibly have such good eyes and how he would be sad if she got his pompadour wrong, but eventually, like some others, he leaves the room. Some commanders linger around to talk with Mr. Whitebeard, but Annie is far too absorbed into thoughts of all the exciting work she would have for the next few days to keep track of it all.

"Hey, wait up!" 

Annie barely stops herself from grimacing, keeping her pace steady in hopes he isn't talking to her.

"Miss Painter? Uh, Annie?" Ace calls out. Annie feels like hitting something. _Can't you take a hint?_

"What is it, commander?" She says instead, stopping so they could come face to face. The sun bathes the empty corridor in a soft light that Annie wishes didn't look so good reflected on those grey eyes of his.

"Ace." He insists. "And, well - uh, I know it's gonna sound weird, but…" His tone grows oddly bashful, he even avoids her eyes for a moment. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

 _Ah._ Somehow, Annie had forgotten it went both ways, this call at her soul, the bond trying to consolidate itself. 

She could dismiss his not so subtle inquiry. Annie doesn't have a last name - even if his intuition pulled him towards her, once she left the _Moby Dick_ the calling would grow faint again, and he could never know. 

_He found a good place for himself. Why would he need Baterilla… or me?_ Annie decides, opening her mouth to lie.

"Some people would have said we've met before in a dream, or a past life." She says instead as her hands reach for the high collar of her shirt. "Frankly, I'm not sure if I believe it. But I've known your name my entire life." 

She knows what he will see when she pulls the collar down - the way the thick black letters curl around the whole span of her throat, the name _Gol D. Ace_ brazenly at sight. _Her noose._

"A flashy mark for a flashy pirate, I suppose." She teases softly, but Ace seems to barely register her words, eyes fixed on the mark, mouth open.

It seems that an eternity has passed before their eyes meet again. "Do you hate me?" He says in a wisp of a voice.

_His eyes are so old, and so young._

"...For a long time, I wanted to. But I never could." She tells him, the truth like a weight leaving her back. "Because I thought that you, more than anyone, would understand the weight."

_Like hers._

Her hand curls around _that man'_ s name, a motion old and practiced. She sees the way Ace smiles, sharp and ironic, as he reaches for the band around his left wrist. 

_Annie_ , in fluid calligraphy, is curled around his thicker wrist. _A shackle_ , she thinks, with a laugh that bubbles at her throat.

( _They say there's no happier moment than when soulmates reveal their marks._

 _But the world was never so kind, was it?_ )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It might be a good time to explain how soulmates work in this AU. I see it more as two souls forging an unbreakable bond than two halves of a soul meeting, since there's a lot of "blanks" in this universe and having half a soul would be... not ideal. Anyways, the souls will feel drawn to each other, but it's completely possible to miss the call. Ace happens to be a guy both very honest and very instinct-based, so thankfully he managed to confront Annie. As for way she changed her mind so quickly... I'll elaborate on that next chapter. Anyway, as time progresses, the bond will consolidate itself, and the soulmates will begin to feel each other more closely. I won't talk in detail about it because it's more fun to read as it happens.  
> ...Also, very innacurate descriptions of painting. It's far from the weirdest thing in One Piece, but still.  
> Thank you very much for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about all the fun variations of soulmates AU's!


	16. when atlas shrugs (whose back is breaking?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sad, philosophical times, then funny times, then sad times again.  
> (Chapter title from "Glowing")

“Do you think that we have true control over our lives?” Annie asks commander Izo while he puts the blindfold on her once again. It was a slow day - most recruits were hungover and hadn’t shown up, so Izo was training her himself today. “Or that some things will always lead down an inevitable road?” 

Annie thinks of the impulse that came over her when she had decided to hide their connection from Ace. The ache in her heart, the terrible feeling that such a decision would ruin them both forever.  _ But all my life, Portgas D. Rouge’s ghost over my shoulder told me that loving him would be my end. _

“...Once, I read that a man is free to do what he wants, but not to want what he wants, and that’s how soulmates were born. Because such burning desires can even transpose lifetimes.” Izo tells her, softer than she had ever heard from him. She wishes she could see what kind of face he was doing. “But that’s not such a bad thing, I think. I’ve met people so remarkable that the force of their heart’s desire changed the world. I can only hope that ordinary people like you and I can change our lives as well this way.”

Annie soaks on the idea for a long moment. “Mr. Whitebeard is surely remarkable. What is his heart’s desire? The One Piece?” 

Izo laughs. “People often think that. But you’ve been here for a while now. Can’t you guess?” 

_ A family.  _ Annie realizes.  _ Just like me. _

_ Is that why I couldn’t go back to my empty house? Is that why I couldn’t stop myself from looking for Ace? _

_...Is that why Ace has such restless eyes? _

“Enough of all that thinking.” A long nailed finger presses down on the pensive wrinkle of her forehead. “Clear your head now, so you can decide what to do later.”

“Commander, you really are the coolest.” Annie tells him, rolling her shoulder to avoid the first bullet.

Somehow, Annie thinks she can see the wistful smile on Izo’s lips. “What are older brothers for?” 

************************************

“Alright girlie, let’s talk about the unholy amounts of sexual tension between you and Ace.” 

Thatch’s comment has the very immediate effect of making Annie choke on her steak. The man seems content to let her cough and gasp for a whole minute before she manages to breathe again. Annie lays him an icy stare that might have been more effective if her eyes weren’t still tearful.

“What the  _ fuck _ , Thatch?” It’s all she manages to get out.

“Let’s be frank there. You’re just the guest painter.” Thatch waves his fork at her.

“Jeez, thanks, Thatch.” Annie grumbles, ignoring the little twinge in her heart.

“And sure, you’re pretty, but Ace is hopeless about noticing things like that. Yet… he can’t take his eyes out of you. It’s  _ hilarious. _ ” The commander’s eyes slide to some point above her shoulder, and his smirk grows. 

Annie tries very hard not to blush, but is self-aware enough to know it’s the one tell she can never hide. Damn her.

“On another hand,  _ you  _ seem to be going out of your way to  _ not  _ look at him.” He mercilessly points out. 

“Aren’t you a great detective?” She mumbles sarcastically, forgetting her manners. Thatch was very good at eliciting that type of response.

“So,” He leans in. “Are you past lovers or something?” 

“W-What? No way!” Annie denies. “I’m from South Blue, remember?”  _ So is he, but I have no idea if Thatch knows that. _

“Pen pals, then?” The man presses on.

“Can you see Ace writing letters?” She retorts, realizing too late she forgot to tackle a ‘commander’ on that. Thatch’s smile tells her that slip was undoubtedly noted.

“Soulmates?” 

Annie freezes. 

“Oh. I… Wow. I didn’t expect it to be that. Thought Ace was a blank, actually.” Thatch raises his brows.

_ Stupid, stupid girl.  _ Annie presses her nails down on her palm. Her whole life trying to keep it secret, and she lets it out for the first person that suspects it?

“But isn’t that great? Ace is a little shit, you’re a little shit. A perfect match. And I get to have a new little sister!” Thatch rambles on, reaching out to pat her shoulder.

Annie flinches. His hand freezes halfway to her. 

“...I’m not sure if this was a good idea.” She whispers, looking away from his confused expression. “I need to stay alone for a while. Excuse me.”

When she stands up from the table, she can’t help but tell him:

“Don’t worry about me, ok?” 

_ Thatch is not one of the “wrong people” Mama warned about.  _ The little voice in her mind points out what Annie didn’t want to admit. 

But that was a thought for another time. Like Commander Izo said, she needs a clear head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole "man is free to do what he wants but not to want what he wants" is Arthur Schopenhauer. I kinda dig it.  
> Also, Annie can't lie to people she actually cares about to save her life, and Ace is somehow even more awkward than her when it comes to soulmate stuff. Jesus.  
> Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about philosophical bullshit. Or not. Not everyone digs that!


	17. oh, oh, i don't wanna be alone (i wanna find a home)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're so _soft _.__  
>  (Chapter title from "Hello, My Old Heart")

Her steps take her to one of the smaller lookout nests. Apparently, it wasn’t really used anymore. Not much need to keep a tight vigilance in the ship of the strongest man in the world.

She isn't much of a climber, and her fingers grow numb from the cold wind. But the view makes it worth it.

Old man Jack’s cottage, she remembers, stands on top of some tall, uneven lands that ended on a cliffside to the ocean. Most of Baterilla’s residents deemed it a terrible place to build, but not her stubborn bull of a master. In her training sessions, Annie had started to understand why he liked it there so much - the hum of the wind and the constant sound of the waves breaking against the cliffside were strangely comforting. _“Ocean children always feel this way,”_ he had told her when she described the feeling.

 _But I’m a landbound girl,_ Annie had thought, because that’s what her mama had been. It was what Miss Rouge had been.

 _Yet here I am,_ Annie breathes in the ocean breeze. She slides down the nest’s low wall and pulls her knees to her chin before pulling her sketch pad out. Finally she had a chance to draw the stars. Annie had been working in the Whitebeards’ portrait for a day straight now.

“It will be over soon.” She murmurs. “Then what?”

_That’s the million bellies question, isn’t it?_

She misses the days her road was clearer. She misses her mama’s smile. 

_It’s one of those empty days._ Annie had many of those after her mama passed away - when she had felt so painfully alone it was like she could never be happy again. _Just that. Tomorrow it’ll be better._

Distantly, Annie could still hear the distant chatter of the dining pirates. Someone starts a song, and soon enough there's a happy, drunken chorus and laughter all around. _They all live so loudly, so unapologetically._

( _So freely._ )

With a sigh, she buries her head on her knees.

“You sigh a lot, don’t you?”

Heartbeat fast and fragile like a hummingbird’s wings. Hands closed tight around her sketch pad. Wide eyes, looking up slowly from her knees.

_But no clenched throat. Isn’t it funny?_

“...Don’t you know it’s bad manners to walk in a girl like that?”

Ace furrows his brows. “But you’re not in your room?”

Annie sighs.

“You did it again.” He accuses, stepping down from the edge of the nest he was crouched on top of. She wonders how someone could be so effortlessly reckless.

“So I did.” She says, too tired to be clever. Her neck is starting to hurt from looking up for so long, too. “Just sit down.”

She immediately regrets the decision once he settles right next to her, all that bare skin close to her. _Shameless, too._ She looks away, trying to ignore how he radiates heat like a furnace.

“Why did you run away from dinner? Thatch looked like a kicked puppy.” He asks, extending his legs for more comfort - except the nest is too small for him. Annie suppresses a giggle at his frown. 

“Why were you watching? Better yet - why did you follow me?” She shoots back.

“...You know why.” He bows his head, and his hair covers most of his expression - but she catches a hint of red at his ears. It makes her giddy. She wishes it didn’t.

“Tell me it isn’t just me.” The words escape her before she can measure them. “You feel it too, don’t you? How… comfortable is being close. How easy.”

“...Yeah.” He simply says. 

Even now, when they’re virtually cut off from anyone else, when Annie is alone with a dangerous pirate that could burn her to a crisp - her shoulders refuse to tense, her neck never grows tight, her mask of courtesy struggles to stay intact. _It isn’t needed,_ the voice whispers. _He would never hurt you._

“I can’t stand it.” She spits out. “My whole life I’ve been told you would be the death of me - your name. But now that I’ve seen you -”

“You don’t want to let go?” He completes. Annie, in her surprise, turns to look at him - and realizes they are far, far too close. _Don’t blush, don’t blush -_

He smirks. Annie wants to punch him.

“Believe me, the feeling is mutual. I never really expected to meet you - the woman cursed with me for a match.” That cocky twist on his lips turns just this side of bitter. “If I did, I told myself I would run as fast as I could in the opposite direction.”

“...It’s not your fault either. Who your parents are.” She feels the need to tell him, regretful, because ‘ _your very existence is a crime’_ isn’t something any child should have to hear. And she knew he had. “I never thought it was your fault. I was just angry.”

“That’s something, I guess.” He retorts, craning his neck to look at the stars. Annie follows him, and for a while they just stay like that. Her fingers aren’t even cold anymore. 

There are far too many things unsaid. But it still feels right.

“Do you know where I’m from?” She breaks the silence.

“South blue, right?” He answers, absently.

“ _Baterilla,_ South Blue.”

Ace’s shoulders grow tense in an instant. He turns to her, and there’s an eager glint in his eyes that makes her heart ache. 

“My mom’s hometown?”

“...Yeah. Everyone knows who Miss Rouge was. They loved her a lot.”

“Tell me about her.” He pleads, leaning closer. He might as well be looming over her at this point, still far taller despite being pretty small sized for Grand Line standards - but it isn’t uncomfortable. Annie would be sick of the sensation at this point if it wasn’t so addicting. 

“Well, Miss Rouge liked flowers, sake and singing, according to my mama. The two of them were like sisters, did you know? But old man Jack - that’s Rouge’s uncle - says she was a real spitfire too. And -” 

There’s almost too much to tell, and she can tell he is getting overwhelmed quickly, but he never asks to stop. They stay awake for hours talking about Baterilla, until Annie starts to grow drowsy.

“I promised them I would bring you home, you know.” She tells him, dream-like, as her closing eyes follow the line of the horizon, the rapidly approaching dawn. It’s a beautiful sight. “They love you already. Miss Rouge loved you. Even the Pirate King did, too, though no one talks about him. So you don’t need to have such lonely eyes all the time.” 

As her conscience fades, Annie can still hear him say, so very softly:

“Neither do you.”

*******************************

All hell breaks loose when Ace’s first lieutenant comes to look for him that morning and ends up finding them curled over each other in the nest. Ace’s glower at the man and her flushed cheeks don’t help their case. By midday, everyone knows they’re soulmates.

“Thatch is dying today.” Annie snarls, taking the safety off her pistol.

“Hell yeah.” Ace’s fists explode in flames. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading. Leave me a comment and let's talk about how Annie and Ace interact! I was so excited to get to this point and now it's here!


	18. and i wanna share it (with you)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I mentioned my love for found families?  
> (Chapter title from "Hello, My Old Heart")

As planned, she finishes the portrait that day,  _ after  _ making Thatch dance around the deck for a while trying to avoid her - flaming, courtesy of Ace - bullets. Commander Marco probably should have tried to stop them, but was too busy laughing his feathered ass off.

She presents the finished portrait to Mr. Whitebeard, who seemed to have taken the day to stay in bed - apparently a rare thing - and instructs him on the proper way to care for it so the color wouldn’t fade too quickly. 

“A wonderful job, Miss Annie.” He praises. Annie can’t help but puff her chest a little - she had put a lot of effort on that one. “But I think a talk about another topic is overdue for the two of us, isn’t it?”

Annie wishes she could say she didn’t know this was coming.

“Did you know all along?” She asks the strongest man in the world. It should have been an accusation - but comes out as a simple curious inquiry. Even if Mr. Whitebeard ever had ill intent towards her, she knows he would never hurt Ace.

“I had a hunch. The boy showed me your name the day he told me about Roger - the day he became one of my sons.” He sighs, taking a sip from a drink she is sure was hidden from the nurses. “When your name showed up in the options for a painter - well, when you’re as old as me, you understand that there are very few coincidences in this ocean.”

“Thank you.” She can’t help but say. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet him.”

Mr. Whitebeard’s eyes twinkle when he smiles down at her. It’s comforting. “I’ll admit I did it for him at first, but I’m sure you realize that. But now, Miss Annie, tell me - would you like to be one of my daughters as well?”

Annie’s mouth opens and closes for a moment. Somehow, despite Trisha’s looks and Commander Izo’s passing comment and even Thatch’s suggestion, she didn’t expect it to actually happen.  _ I’m just a landbound girl,  _ she wants to tell him.  _ I don’t belong here. _

(This isn’t how the story went, the story that started to repeat itself the day she was born with Ace’s name on her neck.)

“...Why me?” She asks. It’s, shamefully, almost a plea.

“Thatch, Izo and Marco vouched for you. Ace is your soulmate, and I don’t think you are the type that would stand by and watch him leave you.” He tells her, and from his mouth, these sound like the most logical reasons in the world. But then - he stands up, slowly, taking out his breathing equipment. Annie swallows a protest. “Most of all - I think you want to stay.”

He closes on her, his steps making the wood beneath her tremble. Mr. Whitebeard kneels in front of her and, like she’s made of glass, brings her into his arms.

_ He would fight for me, wouldn’t he? Even though he barely knows me. Even though I’m not his real daughter. _

“Yes.” She cries out. “Yes, please.”

“Welcome aboard, little Annie.” He tells her, and it feels like home.

****************************

“Did you ask for me to be placed in your division, commander Izo?” Annie says, with a smile just this side of cheeky.

“It was a suggestion, yes.” He narrows his eyes at her. “You should know you’re going to have many new responsibilities now. Don’t expect me to go easy just because you’re a rookie pirate.”

_ A pirate.  _ It makes her smile widen without permission. Down at her right calve, Mr. Whitebeard’s -  _ pops’  _ mark burns, like her soulmark did when she met Ace. A mark to show her heart’s desire, like Izo had told her.

“I wouldn’t dare to think of it, commander.” She does a half hearted salute.

“Ace’s influence is bad for you.” Izo rubs his temples with his manicured hands. Annie almost feels bad for him.

“I’m pretty sure it’s more Thatch’s fault.” She tells him matter-of-factly. Her rage at the fourth commander had mostly faded now - Ace hadn’t been lying when he told her about the puppy eyes.

The other recruits, despite the half-formed camaraderie they had from the training exercises a few days before, seem reluctant to actually hit her now. When Annie hears a whispered “but it’s commander Ace’s girl”, she sighs and takes her gun out.

“Well, if you would rather take the hits, I’m more than happy to oblige.” She absently says, taking aim. Then - a smirk. “Just know - I don’t tend to miss.”

Her fellow recruits gulp.

Turns out, they don’t dance nearly as well as Thatch. A shame.

“...Definitely Ace’s influence.” Izo sighs, half missing the humble, well-mannered girl that had come to them not long ago. Just half, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you guys there would be fluff. It's what our girl Annie deserves.  
> Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about our favorite fanfic tropes!


	19. see, i was born a restless child (and i could hear the world outside calling me)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annie writes a letter home. Also, Spades!  
> (Chapter title from "Lay Me Down")

Days after she joins the Whitebeard pirates, she musters enough courage to write a letter home. She addresses it to Miss Club, because she knows it’s the only way the letter will actually make it to the destination within the year. The old lady has a lot of connections, it turns out, and so does her new family.

Annie can almost see it - the way Miss Club’s cigarette would fall from her mouth, the way the whole town would pile around her letter, the confused murmurs that would break out once they realized she wasn’t - 

_I promised to come back._ Annie clenches her fists, eyeing the drying ink with increasing unease. _Mama didn’t raise a liar._

“Frowning instead of sighing this time, I see.” Ace casually remarks, leaning on her cabin door. Annie jumps on her seat, wiping her head to glare at him. He laughs. “Still need a little more work on that Observation.”

He leans over her shoulder to peek at her finished letter. Cheeks blazing, Annie pushes his head to the side. Her ruffian of a soulmate really knew no boundaries.

“You must really know everyone there.” He says, which couldn’t have been easy with her hand squishing his face. 

“No decorum whatsoever…” She grumbles, trying to ignore how nicely his warmth felt close to her back. “But, well, Baterilla is a small place. And everyone took care of me in their own way… It’s only fair to address each of them individually.”

Something about her tone must have tipped him off about her troubles, because he catches her hand at last and turns his head to look at her, brows furrowed.

“Having second thoughts?” He asks, deliberately blank-faced. As if she can’t tell when he is troubled too, the stupid man.

“No.” She tells him, firm. “...I guess I just feel like I’m letting everyone down. After all -” Looks him straight in the eye, opens a winning smile. “I did promise to bring you to my home, and instead you whisked me away to yours. They might get jealous.”

Oh, but how she delights in seeing Ace’s rare blushes. They go up to his ears and make his freckles flare up. Sweet revenge for all the times he teases her on purpose. 

“Shut up.” He huffs out, and it’s his turn to push her head to the side. Annie laughs, unabashed, and lighter than before.

 _Mama didn’t raise a liar,_ she decides, carefully sealing her letter, with a fond kiss for good measure. Her eyes slide to a now snoring Ace - that narcolepsy of his hit on the most hilarious times, didn’t it? - _So I’ll just have to take the long way back._

_Then I’ll have even more stories to tell._

_*********************************_

“Oh, but you’re just perfect. Aren’t ya, boy? Yes, you are!” Annie coos, scratching Kotatsu’s ears. God, she had missed the big lovable cat.

“She replaced you in a heartbeat, capt’n.” Saber, the poor bastard that’s copying Ace’s taste in hats, chuckles. 

She can’t quite see the expression Ace is making, but by the way his crew-turned-division bursts into laughter, she can imagine it’s _hilarious_ , and she follows along, relaxed. It might be one of those cases where her soulmate’s perception of someone leaks to her, but Annie instantaneously likes the Spades. 

“Still can’t believe our Ace found his match.” Masked Deuce wipes a fake tear, lifting a hand to mess with Ace’s hair. “And that she has common sense, it’s all we could have ever wanted.”

Indignant flames start creaking around Ace’s curls, forcing Masked Deuce to take his hand off. The two face off each other with glares that remind her more of quarreling siblings than commander and lieutenant.

“Thank you for taking care of him until now. I’m sure he’s been a handful.” She bows her head politely, but the twitch of her lip betrays her true intentions. 

Mihal the sniper adjusts his glasses and smirks at her, undoubtedly catching the idea. Annie thinks they might be kindred spirits, with their quick minds and knack for weapons. She hopes they can train together sometime. “Oh, yes, captain is quite the trouble magnet. We had quite a few close encounters with the first dangerous islands in Paradise -”

“And let’s not talk about all the fights he wouldn’t back off from, poor _Spadille_ was pushed to her limits -” Banshee pipes up, cheerful, and she too, is someone Annie would love to have a face off against, the rumors she’s heard about her double pistols - but she’s getting ahead of herself.

“Or, better else, about the time Garp the Fist boarded our ship and dragged Ace to an impromptu training trip, because they’re apparently related.” Even Ducky Bree cracks a smile. 

“That old geezer has nothing to do with me!” Ace cries out, and well, that’s a piece of information Annie needs to store for later, because he never told her anything about a grandfather. 

(He didn’t tell her anything at all about his childhood, and that’s just as well because Annie never told him about her mama’s death or her father either. She’s still a coward in some ways.)

“Well,” she says, because it’s not a time for dwelling on things, _clear your head, Annie,_ and she could, in fact, use some blackmail on Ace’s dumb rookie mistakes as payback for the times he watches her training sessions in the corner, snickering. “we have all day. Tell me some of the better stories.”

They all start talking over each other, and truly, they might talk about Ace but they’re just as much of a wild bunch. Kotatsu settles himself against her and she leans back to observe all of them together, Ace’s first family out in the sea, and hopes they approve of her as much as she did them, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: While Ace's and Luffy's - i think Garp has them too, actually - tendency to fall asleep wherever the hell they feel like it is hilarious in universe, narcolepsy is actually a pretty serious sleep disorder and it's not at all to be treated like a gag in real life! Also, Deuce, sorry for brother-zoning you. I know you're a fellow Ace enthusiast, but I feel like it's mean to make you have an unrequited love.  
> As always, thank you for reading. Leave me a comment and let's talk about chaotic pirate families!


	20. but i can hope how this will end (with every line a comedy)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason for the tags "Thatch is a little shit" and "Haruta is a brat". Enjoy.  
> (Chapter title from "This Will End")

“So, how far have you guys gone?” If the words weren’t compromising enough, Thatch’s smile alone would have sent alarm bells off in Annie’s head. She tries not to choke on her drink.

“You time things like this on purpose, you ass, don’t think I don’t notice.” She mumbles in between coughs. “And what the hell do you even mean?”

“Aah, little Annie used to be so polite.” Thatch raises a hand to his heart. “Now look at her, all grown up and insulting commanders…”

Annie levels him with a look she might or not have copied from Commander Izo.

“You’re no fun.” Thatch sighs. Then - a smirk, once again. “Not enough to make me forget the subject, though.”

Damn it. She can already feel the flush coming up her neck.

“I-I’m _not_ going to answer that, Thatch.” She stutters, mind wandering to the warmth of Ace’s hands on her waist, and of how devious his smirk is every time his face draws too close to hers, only to pull away at the last second. She would never live it down if Thatch knew they hadn’t even kissed yet.

He looks at her for a long moment, before his smile softens a notch.

“Why, dear, what did you think I was talking about? I mean your bond, of course.”

_Oh. Of course._

“Sorry.” She twists a lock of hair between her fingers, sheepish. “Anyway, uh, we actually have no idea what we’re doing.” She shrugs. “No bonded couples actually talk about how their bonds settled, so we’re just going with the flow and hoping it works, I guess.”

At that, Thatch actually twists on his seat to look at Ace. “Going with the fucking flow, Fire-Fist? I should have known you have no romantic bone in your body!”

“Mind your own _damn_ business, Thatch!” Ace growls, red to the roots of his hair, before chucking a fireball at Thatch’s pompadour. 

It seems to be the cue for _every freaking person_ in the ship to start running commentary on their relationship, while Thatch screeches about his hair in the background.

“Ah, young love.” 

“I remember my first days with my bonded…”

“Don’t worry, Ace, you’ll get there one day!”

“Ditch him, little Annie, his looks aren’t worth it!”

Annie sinks into her seat, mortified and praying that it wouldn’t be that bad when they visited Baterilla…

(Who is she kidding at this point?!)

********************************

It’s the last week all the divisions spend on the _Moby Dick_. Soon she would be boarding commander Izo’s _Jewel of the East_ with the rest of her division, away from Trisha and the nurses, Thatch and Clark, Mr. Whitebeard… and Ace, of course. And further into the dangers of the New World. To say she is worried would be a massive understatement.

She distracts herself from it by throwing herself into both training and drawing, and trying to spend as much time with her friends as she could. They all notice, of course, she isn’t oblivious enough to not notice how Thatch’s hair ruffles are getting more frequent and Trisha is letting her lounge around the infirmary without kicking her out. Commander Izo doesn’t do anything but remark within her hearing range that the recruits have free use of the shooting stand, but Annie appreciates it nonetheless. 

It’s during one of those stress relief shooting sessions that commander Haruta confronts her.

“I’ve been wondering when you were going to do anything but glare at me from a distance.” Annie remarks once she sees them emerge from the shadows with the corner of her eyes. “Are you still mad about me calling you short while I was painting the commanders' portrait?”

_Alright, so maybe commander Izo has a point. I’m more cheeky than I used to be._

Commander Haruta sends her a glare that doesn’t quite fit their baby face. 

“I’ve got the right to keep an eye on newbies, even if they aren’t from my division. Especially if they’re weirdos like you.” They point at her accusingly.

Annie’s eye twitches. “Weirdo?”

They throw their hands in the air, seemingly at the end of their patience. “First you’re shaking when I _mention_ Oyaji, then when you’re in front of him you look perfectly relaxed. First you’re just a painter, and then you’re firing bullets and using Observation and taking Oyaji’s mark! Seriously, what’s your game?”

Annie wants to strangle this brat. “Huh? You mean since I’m not a complete _scaredy cat_ , then surely I must have ulterior motives? Can’t I have _layers_?”

“Well it seems kind of awfully convenient that you got close to so many commanders so quick…” 

Annie _snaps_. Her gun is suddenly trained on Haruta, and maybe this is a terrible idea because they're a commander and she’s been a pirate for a month but who cares.

“That’s it, you _brat_! I don’t know if you’re just mad because I’m hoarding your older brothers’ attention or whatever, but stop hiding under those _bullshit_ ‘you’re suspicious’ reasons and come at me!”

Haruta snarls and unsheathes their rapier, but the blush on their cheeks tells her she was spot-fucking-on. “You’ve got some nerve, _new kid_!”

“New kid?” She screeches, already dodging what would have been a very painful stab in the knee. “How old are _you_?!”

“I’m _eighteen,_ you little attention-seeker!” 

“So am I, commander-brat!”

Annie would love to say she proceeded to kick the brat’s butt after that. It didn’t happen, but she did land a very nice punch in their nose.

“Alright, I’ll give it to you, attention-seeker. You’re far too weak to be a spy.” They smugly tell her - but their breath is not as even as they're trying to pretend it is.

“Oh, great, all that I ever wanted was to gain your approval seal, commander-brat. Joy.” She sneers, trying very hard not to lay down and curl as a ball. They might have used the flat side of the sword but _davy jones_ , does it hurt.

“Are you kids done yet?” Commander Izo has his arms crossed. _Oh no._ By his side, Ace is snickering madly. At least Thatch wasn’t there, though commander Vista seems to have watched the whole thing as well, and is mumbling about how irresponsible his apprentice is. That would explain how good Haruta is with a sword.

“It’s so easy to forget you’re younger than me, Ann, but now - now I see it.” Ace teases her.

“Oh, shut up.” She says - to her despair, in unison with the commander-brat.

By next morning, rumors of her “legendary rivalry with commander Haruta” have spread through the ship, and now her fellow recruits are even more terrified of her. Izo is not amused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ace and Annie have 0% romantic experience and 100% awkwardness. Ace just pretends better. Also, Annie and Haruta being brats together is my new favorite dynamic.  
> Oh, and yeah, Ace and Annie are getting separated for a while again. I just can't fanthom why the Whitebeards would have entire divisions if all the commanders just... stay in one ship?? Anyway, don't worry, they'll see each other soon, but first Annie needs to learn how to be an actual pirate!  
> Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about your favorite "dorks in love" ships!


	21. promise that you'll start where i end (and i promise to give you everything that i am)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annie and Ace learn the joys of communication, at last!  
> (Chapter title from "Boreas"; fun fact, this one was almost the actual title)

Another party is thrown in their last night, because of course it is. Annie figures it would be amusing enough to play waitress again, or maybe babysit Trisha enough that she doesn’t end up puking her guts out the next morning - but half an hour in, she gets dragged off the party by no other than her soulmate. 

“If you wanted to go on a date, there are better ways to go about it than just manhandling me into it!” She huffs as they climb the crow’s nest, because of course Ace is secretly a sap.

“Starting to think I really should have ran…” He mumbles. She would punch him if she didn’t think it would make her fall from the ladder. “Oh, c’mon, you’re so slow.”

He pulls her to the top effortlessly. It kinda makes her stomach flip a little, so she steps on his feet once he lets her down. He yelps. “Davy fucking jones, woman!”

“Oh, stop whining about it.” She snaps, sitting as far as she could from him, arms crossed.

“What’s with the sulking?” He sighs, sliding down the nest’s low wall, right next to her. Then he just - pulls her into his lap. Just like that. “C’mon, don’t be like this, it’s our last night together for a while and I wanna cuddle.”

There’s a faint whining note on his voice that she might have made fun of if she wasn’t busy blushing to the roots of her hair. “What _on earth_ do you think you’re doing?! Have ya got no manners?”

“Y’know, your accent comes out more when you’re flustered.” He points out absently, curling some strands of her hair around his finger.

“Ace, I’m serious!” She screeches, turning around to face him and immediately regretting it. _Too close!_ She falls off his lap with no grace whatsoever.

“Wow, wow!” He helps her sit up. “Isn’t this a little too much? We’re just cuddling! I did it all the time with my brothers… Wait, I was actually making you uncomfortable all this time? Oh fuck. Dadan’s gonna kill me for real -"

_He’s rambling. He’s actually.... nervous?_ Somehow, his reaction drags out a choked laugh out of her.

He cuts himself off immediately, staring at her all wide-eyed.

“God.” She says in between laughs. “We’re a complete disaster.”

“It’s not funny.” It’s his time to sulk. His ears are even red again.

“No, not really.” She agrees. “But sometimes you just gotta laugh at your own disgrace, ya know?”

He half-scoffs, half-chuckles. Annie counts it as a small victory. 

“...Really though, shouldn’t we talk about this and shit? Thatch said… uh…”

“You were actually listening to his advice?” She raises her brows. “That’s sweet.”

The blush is spreading to his cheeks now. “Stop changing the subject.”

“...Sorry. I just - It’s weird to talk about things like that with someone. I always thought -”

“That you would end up alone?” He completes, with a weird side smile. Annie feels a sudden deja-vu. It makes her smile too. “I don’t get it, though. You’re… you’re really pretty, and sweet, and - uh, no doubt that you could have had a pretty normal life with some nice guy.”

“Don’t act like you don’t know.” She snaps, looking straight at him. “I couldn’t just pretend you didn’t exist.”

He stares back, silent for once. It stretches out - until she sighs and looks away.

“I grew up just with my mama. My old man… isn't a good guy. At all. And mama… well, I loved her so much, but she wasn’t one for much physical affection. Half the time her eyes were somewhere else. I can’t blame her, since she lost so much, but…”

“...Loved?” He breathes out.

“...She died three years ago. Her mind - she got sick. It was… Well. Like my heart had stopped beating too." Annie stops, purses her lips. The more she talked, the easier it got, but it also made her feel strangely _bare._ “Until I saw your bounty poster.” She confesses. “I don’t know why, but it felt like I was being left behind, missing out on… something. Before I knew it, I was doing everything that I could to catch up.”

She musters the courage to look at Ace. He looks as if she had just clubbed him in the face with her pistol. 

Her face feels unbearably hot.

“I - I was raised by mountain bandits.” Ace sputters out, suddenly. Annie blinks. _The hell?_ “It was that stupid jeezer’s idea - Garp, he - Roger asked him to look after me, but the old man couldn’t be bothered to do it so he just left me with the bandits in Goa. Said it would build character or some shit.”

It starts to dawn on her that he might be trying to tell _his story,_ too. She shakes her building confusion off - _why on earth would the pirate king ask his rival to look after his son, how many loose screws does Garp the Fist have -_ and puts all her attention on him.

“They weren’t that bad, and Dadan tried a lot harder than she had to to be a mother to me, but Goa’s mountains aren’t… very friendly. Neither was the Grey Terminal - the junkard in the outskirts of the city. I just had to look after myself for a long time. But I didn’t… like myself very much, so I kinda sucked at that. I was a real bastard too. Then… Then I met my brothers. Luffy and - Sabo.” His voice cracks at the last name. His hand hovers over his arm tatoo, and Annie’s eyes grow wide. 

_Not him too._

“Sabo died. Luffy didn’t.” He clarifies in clipped words. She resists the urge to put a hand at his shoulder - wasn’t she the one rejecting his touch just a while ago? “But they both helped me realize that there might be… a reason for me to be alive. From then on, I stopped ignoring your name. I would look at it sometimes, and even if I _knew_ you would be better off without me, I couldn’t help but wonder - If we were really never meant to be, then why would we be connected at all? And it helped. After Sabo - When I needed to stay strong for Luffy.”

He rubs his neck, self-conscious, but can’t seem to tear his eyes off hers. Annie does the same, mouth hovering, mind running.

“Now, I -” He starts again. “After you found me, I started to realize that I've been betraying my own oath. To live with no regrets. So I stopped running. I _want_ to be your soulmate. The whole thing, you know, _I'm yours and you're mine,_ cuddles and kisses and the… other stuff. But it doesn’t really matter if _you_ don’t want that, too.”

_I helped him stay alive. I’m his shackle, and still, I helped, just like he helped me._ She thinks, half in a daze. Her eyes burn with unshed tears. _He wants me. He really wants me. For who I am._

She sniffles, and it seems to make Ace completely _panicked_. 

“ _Oh_ _fuck_ , don’t cry. Sorry, I can totally just leave -"

“Ace.” She tells him. “Shut up and kiss me.”

He stares at her, completely dumbfounded, so Annie sighs and leans in to kiss _him_ instead.

Thankfully, he doesn’t leave her waiting for too long.

They both are terrible kissers, but frankly, it doesn’t bother her too much at the moment. When they draw back, she makes sure to tell him, in between gulping breaths -

“Look, if I’m gonna be yours, then there’s no take backs. You’re stuck with me. To the end. Got it?”

The fire in his eyes would be enough to make her blush, but then he brings her into his arms again and she’s a goner. “No take backs.” He promises, voice husky in a way that sends shivers down her spine. 

She kisses him again, so he can be just as flustered as her too.

“By the way, don’t think I don’t realize you just proposed to me.” He casually remarks after their - ok, maybe it was more than one - kiss ends. 

Annie slaps him on the shoulder.

(Later, they will talk more about everything. They will cry some and laugh some, and slot their hands together and marvel at how well they fit.

Inside them, they'll feel their souls start to resonate, eager to finally match each other.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My ultimate ASL headcanon is that all three brothers are physical people, which is mostly Luffy's fault. Annie, on other hand, is touch-starved as fuck. Thankfully they worked it out! Also, this is literally the most physical they'll get, I can't write sin to save my life.  
> As always, thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about how criminally underused non-sexual intimacy is!


	22. like constellations imploding in the night (everything is turning)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, we're back to the OC's again. I give up. (Still not apologizing.)  
> (Chapter title from "Constellations")

During her first few weeks in the _Jewel of the East,_ Annie finds herself staring a lot at the horizon. 

It wasn't always in the same direction, but it would happen, again and again - the _pull._ Her half-tied bond straining and protesting the distance, begging to be reunited again with her soul's match.

She falls asleep at odd moments. Her head aches with the distant echo of Ace's feelings. Sometimes, in training, her body reacts differently, as if she _should_ have the reach and strength to land that blow, but she doesn't.

It's too _fucking_ inconvenient. Everyone notices, and they keep throwing her pitying or annoyed glances. Well, except for - 

“I could ask my dad to prescribe some meds to help you focus.” suggests Wendy, little legs kicking as she balances herself on the deck’s rail. Annie side-eyes her, heart at her throat. She couldn’t phantom how her division was so nonchalant about such a small girl walking around the ship, even if she was the doctor’s daughter. She couldn’t be older than twelve.

“...That might be for the best.” Annie ponders, as her eyes find themselves once again drawn to the ocean. “But, if I’m being frank… I think it would get even more lonely if I couldn’t feel him.” 

She stops, eyes wide. _I didn’t mean to be so honest, how embarrassing -_

Wendy bursts into giggles, dark curls dancing with the wind. Suddenly, her eyes seemed very, very old.

“Don’t worry! It happens to everyone! It’s ‘cause of my powers.”

“Y-Your…?” She babbles, dumbstruck.

“Yep. I’m an empath. You have such pretty, clear feelings, Miss Annie! And your bond is adorable! Mister Ace must be very warm.” The little girl tells her with a toothy smile, leaning forward to clasp their hands together.

_No, no, don’t blush, not now, she’s just an innocent kid…_

“...Oh. Hm. Well - thank you?” 

Wendy laughs even more. Annie has no idea if the girl can actually hear her thoughts or just her feelings - also Ace’s, apparently? - but she knows when she’s being teased. Quick as lighting, she grabs her cheeks and _pinches_.

“Cheeky brat!” She huffs, ignoring Wendy’s groans of protest.

(Her heart feels lighter, beating fast and sweet like a hummingbird’s wings, echoing another, distant one. It was probably the kid’s intention.

Maybe she could let her hang around for a while.)

************************************

The Whitebeard’s 16th division, she learns, is mostly a support division. Sharpshooters, strategists, spies and diplomats all mingle here, ready to help protect territories and _dispose_ of enemies discreetly. Annie decides it’ll fit her like a glove once she’s allowed to actually be something other than a glorified chore-girl.

“Many of us don’t have high bounties, or any bounty at all, if you’re doing your job right. So don’t expect glory and flashiness here.” Lieutenant Hana tells them the first morning after she takes over their training. Apparently the woman had been away on a mission for a while and upon returning was appalled at how behind they were. (Just how high are her standards?)

So here they are, up before the damned _sun_.

_This… is a lot more serious than I expected?_ Annie thinks, repressing a stray yawn. The Whitebeards had always seemed like fun-loving pirates. But she supposed no one could control a fourth of the New World with sheer strength alone. 

“So that means _you’re_ not doing your job right, Miss ‘Dark Rose’?” One guy - Leim, she thinks - interjects, and Annie decides then and there she admires his courage, but not his common sense. Leim could charm the pants off anyone but he’s a disaster at fighting. 

“Shut it, Leim! There’s a reason you’re still stuck with the recruits!” Lieutenant Hana screeches, red in the face, throwing a dagger at Leim’s face. _She sure loses her composure quickly._

To her surprise, Leim dodges with a grin, still spouting teasing remarks, and from there on it’s some good fifteen minutes of a cat and rat chase between the two, while the rest of the division cheers on in the background and places bets.

_...Ok, maybe not so serious, then._ Annie smirks and places her bets on the lieutenant, because she’s not a moron, and then makes a second one that they’ll hook up in three months. 

At least this place is entertaining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's so fun to write about soul bonds... Also, Wendy is my favorite OC in this entire fic, and she wasn't even planned for half of it! Her powers are inspired by Emmie from "Free Heart", the one Luffy/OC fanfic I deem valid, because Luffy is still very ace (ha!). Anyway, the closer Wendy is to someone emotionally, the clearer their feelings are to her, and after a while she can pretty much hear their thoughts.  
> Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about the whitebeard divisions, because seriously, what the hell are their specialties?!


	23. i've heard if i were tougher (then maybe i'd make it alive)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annie has her first taste of battle...  
> (Chapter title from "Soap")

The attack happens on a slow night. One moment, Annie is on kitchen cleaning duty - on another, the bell rings out. 

One short, two longs, _for enemies._ Her blood freezes on her veins.

“C’mon, lil’ Annie.” Ron the head chef pats her on the shoulder urgently. “Either go to the deck or escort me to the safe room.”

_He’s giving me an out,_ she realizes, gulping. Annie wishes she could say marched fearlessly to the thick of the fight - but that’s Ace, not her. Her battles had always been of a different kind. 

The way to the safe room is a blur, the distant sounds of shouting and shooting confusing to her ears, and frankly Ron was dragging her there more than the other way around.

“She’s not with you?!” Doctor Wilson shouts as soon as they step foot inside, and she’s never seen the man so disheveled before. “That’s it, I’m going out!”

“No, Doc! It’s too dangerous!" Two boys clutch at the man’s arms, and even those clumsy efforts are enough to halt his advance. Doctor Wilson is no fighter. But he _is_ a father.

And his daughter has always liked to wander around the ship.

_Little Wendy with her bell-like laugh and her old eyes -_

Annie turns on her heels and _runs._

The ringing on her ears grows louder as she approaches the fight. Too many voices, too much death. Commander Izo had told her people like her, with Observation, could feel a sensory overload in a battlefield.

_Don’t think of it like that,_ she shakes her head. Her breath is starting to grow short - she’s reached the deck. _Think of it as training. Find your target._ Annie rams her elbow into a man’s gut, inclines her head and hears a bullet - _a real one_ \- swishing past her ear. _Find the bullseye._

The shouts become whispers. Even the waves fade away. The humming of Ace’s heartbeat alongside her own, just a little off-beat, helps her, points her toward the sniffling sounds in the barrel on the corner. _That smart kid._

“ _Wendy!_ ” Annie shouts, reaching inside the barrel - touching wild, wild curls. She sighs, relieved beyond words.

Wendy looks up from her hideout. Her eyes are young now, too young, and her hands are covering her ears. “You came.” She whispers, almost in wonder. 

_This must be an empath’s nightmare,_ Annie realizes, heart clenching. “C’mon, brat, I’m taking you to your dad. No need to be afraid.”

“I wasn’t!” She puffs her cheeks. Annie raises a brow.

_A presence flares up behind her._

Wendy screams. “Annie, look out!” 

She turns around, gun already sacked - but her body is not as fast as her thoughts. The man’s wide hands close around her covered neck, slamming her against the wall.

(It’s the dark sneer on his face that scares her the most, though.) 

“Well, aren’t you a pretty one." He chuckles. His hold grows tighter.

Annie tries to aim, but she feels lighthearted. _A noose, a noose -_ she feels like laughing, but tears leave her eyes instead. She can’t hear what he’s speaking anymore, but she can hazard a guess.

_Wendy is still there._

A choked snarl leaves her lips. She kicks the man’s calve, once, twice, just hard enough for him to yelp and loosen his grip - _safety off, firm hands_ -

The bullet tears through his open mouth.

_There’s a lot more blood than I expected,_ it’s the only thing Annie can think as he falls. She clutches her aching throat for a moment, dancing black dots on her sight. 

_Move. Move._

“Hold onto me.” She turns around and picks Wendy with a huff. “Davy jones, what have you been eating?”

Wendy doesn’t answer. Annie realizes she must be looking over her shoulder and immediately buries her face on her chest. “Hey, honey. Don’t look up until I say so, ok?”

Wendy can only nod. Annie wonders if she can feel it too - 

(His voice is gone, gone, _gone, like mama’s -_ )

But it’s neither the time nor the place. Annie begins to dodge her way through the deck, curling around the girl’s form to protect her - a bullet grazes her shoulder - she grits her teeth.

She doesn’t stop running until they’re below deck, until she sees the safe room’s door. Hands are hurrying her inside, _“she’s back!”_ and _“thank gods”_ all around her.

“Daddy!” The scream that leaves Wendy’s throat when she sees Doctor Wilson is nothing short of heart-wrenching. Annie, heart still pounding, passes the girl to her father -

_And then she’s falling._

“Annie!”

“Shit, she’s gonna -”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Death is kind of a controversial topic in One Piece - some people wish it happened more often for the sake of realism, or that Luffy's morality is stupid... My idea on the topic is that it depends on the person. Luffy prefers to let the bad guys live with their crushed dreams, and furthermore, he is strong enough to afford the luxury of mercy. Annie, on other hand, is physically weaker than most pirates, so her one way of protecting herself - and the ones she loves - is through her guns, that we all know are violent by nature. She's a bit shell shocked now, but she'll come to terms with it. She's a lot more emotionally strong than she thinks.  
> Oof. That got a little too serious. But as always, thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about how fight scenes are a nightmare to write!


	24. but if seeing is believing, i don’t know i’ve seen a thing grow (without some softness showing)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And finds her place in the division.  
> (Chapter title from "Soap")

“Never scare us like that again, do you hear it, lil’ Annie!” Ron manages to declare before he starts bawling. It would be a pretty hilarious sight if Annie wasn’t stuffed with calming meds.

Leim sighs a circle of smoke and pats the cook’s shoulder. “There, there, big guy.” Then he smirks at her. “You have some guts, kid. Here, want one?” 

Before Annie can decline the offered cigarette, Lieutenant Hana is already slapping his hand. “She’s a _patient! Have some manners!”_

“Hanaa, you’re so uptight! Live a little!” And that’s the cue for them to start arguing. 

Annie smiles and thanks them for coming. They weren’t even the first - apparently saving little Wendy had earned her some cookie points with her division. 

“God, the infirmary is so lively lately.” One of her neighbors grumbles from his bed. “Doc is gonna get pissed.”

_He really will._ Annie breaks out in a cold sweat. Doctor Wilson might not be a strong man, but he’s _terrifying_ if he catches you disturbing his patients. 

And he has an uncanny sixth sense for being around when it happens -

“Hi, I’m back, sorry for - _What do you think you’re doing here?!_ ”

Like now.

_These poor souls._

While Doctor Wilson unleashes the hounds of hell upon the visitors, a little head peeks out from behind her curtain. Annie ponders if she should pretend to be fooled, but it’s too good a chance.

“I can see you, brat.” She teases.

Wendy jumps a little. “No way!” She pouts some, looks to the sides… And then, seemingly gathering her courage, climbs on Annie’s bed.

“Wow there. Careful with the merchandise, little he -”

_Little heart._

Annie closes her mouth so hard she grits her teeth.

When had she gotten so attached?

“Your heart's too big for your body, Miss Annie. It spills over like you’re trying to trap the ocean in a glass.” Wendy tells her, and her tone is too serious again, too knowing. “That’s why you can’t help but love. It’s nice to hear. Like a lullaby.”

Annie thinks of how angry she used to be, because of Ace, because of her mama, because of the world. Thinks of how her heart had frozen once upon a time, of how it couldn’t take the hurting. 

Thinks of her bruised throat and her throbbing shoulder.

_Maybe if I hadn’t cared so much, I wouldn’t have gotten hurt._

(Miss Rouge laughs and whispers at her ear: _but wasn’t it worth it?_ )

Annie smiles and hugs little Wendy. “Awn, aren’t you adorable? Come here!”

“Nooo, you’re smothering me! Let go, old hag!”

Annie gasps. “I’m _eighteen_ , ya damn brat -”

************************************

Later, when the infirmary is quiet once again and Wendy is asleep at the foot of her bed, her father will bow his head and thank her with tear-filled eyes.

“This girl’s devil fruit made it impossible to hide from her all the terrible things in this world.” Doctor Wilson tells her, caressing his sleeping daughter’s cheek lovingly. “And made us leave our home, chased out by the people that desired her power. I was afraid for her for so long.”

The moonlight reflects on the lenses of the doctor’s glasses, shines upon his wistful smile.

Annie looks down at Wendy and wishes for a world where children don't need to be afraid for their lives.

“But the Whitebeards gave us a home. And you… you gave her a sister.” She snaps her eyes to the man, shocked. “Thank you. _Thank you_.”

(A bigger family than she ever had.)

“No,” Annie whispers, “Thank _you._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrow we're wrapping up the "eighteen" stage, guys! Hope you didn't forget the ages thing at this point, haha. "Nineteen" is the last one, but trust me there's plenty until we get to the end. I hope you enjoy what I have planned.  
> Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about Annie's big sisterly attitude (or lack of it, she's still a brat).


	25. and everything you thought you knew will fall apart (but you'll be all right)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A phone call and a letter, both from different homes.  
> (Chapter title from "Constellations")

“I made sure to bandage it out of everyone’s sight.” Doctor Wilson tells her the morning she is discharged, eyeing her throat. “I owe you a life debt, so don’t worry. I’ll take it to my grave.”

The reminder of her mark is enough to make it burn, and she realizes then - her soulmate must have felt an echo of her distress.  _ Fuck. _

“ _ I was halfway to changing our damn course!”  _ Ace bellows at her ear. Annie pulls the den-den mushi away from her, grimacing. 

“Guess I must thank Lieutenant Deuce for putting some sense in your mind then.” She grumbles, looking around her cabin to make sure no one was alerted by Ace’s scream. After working hard to stop the others from thinking of her as ‘Ace’s girl’, she didn’t really want the others to know she had the second division commander’s personal number.

“Honestly, how could you be so -”

“Reckless?” Annie snorts. “That’s rich. I’ve only been here for a few months, and  _ you  _ gave me about three scares like that. If anyone is reckless, it’s you.”

_ That  _ shuts Ace up for a while.

_...Maybe that was too harsh of me. _

“Sorry, I didn’t mean -”

“Nah. You’re right. When you fainted - I stopped  _ feeling  _ you, Ann. Only for a moment, but it scared the  _ fuck  _ out of me."

She knows  _ exactly  _ that type of fear.

(A voice, an echo, a second heartbeat,  _ disappearing _ , just like that - like a flame burning out too quickly.)

"...Please, don't scare  _ me  _ like that again. And I promise to do the same." She tells him, quietly, feeling so very vulnerable. "To the end, remember? I don't want to follow you into death so soon, dummy."

_ ("Promise me you won’t ever die because of -") _

He breathes out, a harsh exhale. She wishes she could see his face. She wishes she could feel his warmth.

"You won't have to." He says, firm, resolute. "I promise."

****************************

She settles into a routine. Lieutenant Hana was impressed with her guts - after she tore her a new one for joining the fray with no one to watch her back - and graduated her into a proper division member. She spends more time shadowing older pirates than doing things herself though, which might be an attempt to curb any future 'idiotic stunts'. Internally, she blames Ace's influence.

It's a pleasant surprise to receive news from home - it's even more pleasant to have it be handed by Commander Izo. She hadn't seen him in a while, and she would be lying if she said she didn't miss him.

"Seems like you have mail." He drops the letter unceremoniously on her sketch pad, covering the drawing in progress of the island they were aport in. "It's a pretty thick package. Your family is diligent."

Annie stares up at Commander Izo with literal stars in her eyes.

"...Don't look at me like that." He grumbles, avoiding her gaze. "I've been busy, you know."

She nods earnestly, not wanting to come across as ungrateful.

He looks at her for a long moment. “You’ll make a good pirate.” He decides. “An unusual one, but… a good one.”

Annie’s jaw hovers open. Commander Izo sighs. “Close your mouth, Annie.”

She snaps it closed, and lets her lips stretch wide in a smile.

“Thanks, Commander.” 

His eyes are unmistakably warm when he nods at her and turns around. 

Mood uplifted, Annie opens her mail with a hum… And gasps at the sheer amount of paper. It’s like everyone in Baterilla wrote her their own letter and threw it together… which, on second thought, is probably what happened. 

“Really, guys?” She chuckles, passing her eyes over the words. Mrs. Berry was excited to know about her bond with Ace, no surprises there. Miss Club teased her about how she did end up joining the other side of the law after all. The Eldrick twins were asking her to send drawings of the places she visited. Darry’s mother said her boy was heartbroken, for some reason… Old man Jack only told her to be careful and keep her weapon well-maintained. Figures.

Her heart feels so full. 

“I’ll be alright, guys.” She whispers to the paper, hoping that it would somehow reach everyone back in South Blue. “I’ll be alright.”

(It was worth it.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annie hon, literally everyone knows you have his number.  
> As always, thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about Ace and all of his broken promises!


	26. meet me in the middle of the road (and you'll hold me like you'll never let me go)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you we would see him soon!  
> (Chapter title from "In Memoriam")

She is nineteen when she breaks her promise. Their dream-like life ends as all things end - _with loss_.

“You lose. Again.” Leim tells her with a side smirk, showing his cards. 

Annie gapes. “The hell? No way, you totally cheated!”

“Girlie, you have many talents, but a poker face is not one of them.” Leim pats her head patronizingly and collects his winnings, to the cheers of the few bystanders.

“Better luck next time, little Annie.” Aiden, their resident gentle giant, offers.

“Cheer up, birthday girl!” His very excitable soulmate, Zinnie, adds from his place at the man’s lap, fiddling with his prized journal. He better not have documented her failure. 

(Ok, so maybe it was more than one.)

Annie is most definitely _not_ pouting - “Stop laughing, Wendy!”

“You _suck_ at this, Miss Annie.” The brat has the nerve to state the obvious, still chuckling. 

“Empaths and ex-con men shouldn’t be allowed to play.” Annie mumbles, feeling her face heat up.

“Hey, I need a way to win my bread if my life ever goes south.” Wendy shrugs. That kid seriously needed to stop sounding like a pessimistic teenager.

Leim ruffles her head. “That’s the spirit, kiddo! I’ll make a con artist out of you yet!”

“Stop polluting her mind!” Annie hisses.

“Break time's over, you slackers! Go back to your posts!” Lieutenant Hana barks at them from up above in the crow’s nest. Everyone jumps on their seats, hearts at their throats -

“Oh, c’mon, babe, it’s Annie’s birthday! Give her a break!” Except for this moron named Leim, who likes to court death.

“Call me babe again and you’re on cleaning duty for a _month_ , Leim!” Hana shoots back, though Annie can almost hear her blush. “And Annie is already getting a pretty damn good present, alright? So back to work!”

 _She had to mention it?!_ Annie buries her face in her hands, just as laughs erupt around her.

The Whitebeards are reuniting again, all divisions right on course for the _Moby Dick_ … But _apparently,_ the 2nd and 16th divisions just _happened_ to be close to each other, and so Commander Izo adjusted their course a little so they could head to the meeting together.

It _is_ a pretty damn good birthday present. Commander Izo is truly the best. But the others could afford to tease her a little less, seriously.

(She missed him so much...)

“You’re _adorable,_ Miss Annie!” Wendy squeals in the distance.

“What did I _say_ about reading my mind, brat?!”

******************************

Annie would like to say she was dignified upon seeing her soulmate for the first time in a year. Unfortunately, Ace steals that chance away from her by sweeping her up into a bear hug.

_Shameless man!_

“Shut up all of you.” She shouts at the whistling idiots from her division, trying very hard not to think about how much she missed the solid feeling of him, and his warmth, and his freckles, and how her soul is _singing_ at finally having him close - 

“Ann, pay some attention to me! It’s been a year!” Ace downright _whines_ , putting her back to her feet. Annie turns to look at him again, opening her mouth to retort - and he’s smiling. The one with the dimple on the right corner of his mouth. She’s a goner.

_It feels like fucking direct sunlight, how’s that fair?_

“God, is little Annie going to faint?” She hears Aiden asking in the distance. “That on her face is an unholy shade of red.” 

_Even you, Aiden?!_

“I don’t think so.” Doctor Wilson says in between laughs. “Just a case of some good old love sickness.”

“I hate my division so much.” Annie grumbles, still unable to look away from Ace. 

His smile turns into a teasing smirk and damn, she had forgotten how hot he looked like that.“Man, that must mean they’ve really grown on you.”

“Like a fungus.” Annie agrees promptly, ignoring the indignant shouts behind her.

Ace nods. “They do that.” A chorus of “Commander Ace!” rings out behind him.

As hilarious as they are, Annie really doesn’t feel like having an audience when she climbs Ace like a tree - uh, she means, when she catches up with him. “Say, do you feel like getting out of here?”

“You read my mind. It’s a date then.” He shoots back without missing a beat, already pushing her towards the border of the _Jewel of the East._ “Guys, I’m taking the striker. Don’t wait up for me, Kotatsu is in charge. Izo, I’m stealing Annie, bye!”

“Sorry, commander!” Annie manages to shout back to commander Izo, the only one she feels an ounce of guilt towards because he hadn’t teased her at all.

Already expecting it, Annie jumps into his arms more than he sweeps her up, barking out a laugh. They jump onto a tiny raft docked close to his ship she hadn’t noticed until now, and with a few fire blasts, they’re off.

The confused screams behind her are music to her ears. 

(After that triunfal exit, they get stranded in the middle of the ocean for some good ten minutes from a sudden bout of narcolepsy from Ace, but it could be worse, right?)

*******************************

“ _\- kitchen duty for a fucking year, Annie, i’m telling you!”_

“...Are you done yet, lieutenant Hana?” Annie tries.

_“No.”_

Annie sends commander Izo her best pleading look. He is, to her despair, unaffected.

“Mr. Izo is mad because you didn’t deny it when Mr. Ace said he would steal you. Also you came back late and he got worried.” Wendy helpfully tells her.

Commander Izo’s telling blush at that would make her a lot happier if her ears weren’t still ringing from Hana’s screams. 

_Still worth it._

“Annie is thinking that it was still worth it.”

“ _Wendy, you little shit -”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You bet your ass Ace spent the entire day practicing those lines in the mirror to sound that smooth. Thatch saying he had no romantic bone on his body really hurt his feeling, the poor boy.  
> Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about the romantic escapade I didn't write because I wanted to get to angst sooner. Oops.


	27. i can see how this will end (in all its bitter tragedy)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's be frank, we all knew this was coming.  
> (Chapter title from "This Will End")

She hasn’t seen pops in six months, since it was their turn in rotation to stick with the main corps of the Whitebeards. Even if they hadn’t talked much even back then, she’s missed his comforting presence. When the strongest man in the world, who also happens to be your adopted father figure, is at your back, you feel like nothing could ever hurt you.

Everyone is understandably fighting for a chance to talk with their captain once they reach the _Moby Dick_ ’s deck - he always listens to all his kids, no matter what type of shit they talk about - so Annie hangs back for a while. 

“Have you gotten adjusted to the pirate life, little Annie?” It’s the first thing he asks once it’s her turn.

“It’s a lot different from what I expected. And I still suck at some things.” She tells him, sincerely. “...But it’s like a never-ending adventure.”

Pops’ laugh, like always, is like the earthquakes of his devil fruit. “Guarara. That’s a good answer, daughter!”

She smiles, too.

*********************************

The party is even better this time around. Maybe it’s because Whitebeard’s mark burns at her calve now and she feels like she belongs, maybe it’s because she’s meeting so many people dear to her again. Trisha cries a little when she hugs her, and Clark gives her a drink and asks for details about how good Commander Ace is, which she probably should have seen coming. Even commander-brat’s childish insults have a little sweetness in their aftertaste. She sings and dances and laughs like the world is about to end, and it feels like heaven. 

It takes a while before Thatch comes to bother her for a bit.

“Little Anniee! Big brother missed you so much! Have you grown a little? I heard you and Ace had a romantic escapade, how did _that one_ go? Oh, I bet Hana must have given you hell.” How the man can have so much energy at that hour of the night eludes her - Annie is ready to crash already. His pompadour is also as obnoxious as ever.

Annie sighs. “...I missed you too, even if you’re a jerk. No, I’m still a midget and you know it, yes, Lieutenant did give me hell for that little stunt and no, I _am not_ sharing details over it.”

“Figures… How about a drink, then?”

“You’re also not getting me drunk enough to rip it off me. Clark already tried.”

“I knew I shouldn't have shared my secrets with that punk…” Thatch grumbles, downing a drink of his own. “His cooking is still mediocre really, there’s a reason he’s head _waiter_ …”

“How much have you drank, Thatch?” Annie asks, amused despite herself. Thatch was a loudmouth even while sober but she’d never seen that level of rambling.

“Hm…” He stops to ponder about it, brows furrowed. “Ask me again in the morning.”

Annie laughs.

“Heey. Don’t laugh!” He points at her. Only his aim is a bit off and it ends up at some poor unsuspecting waiter, that gulps and scurries away. “Ok, actually, do laugh, because it’s a great fucking day. Me and my boys, we had this find yesterday - some treasure hunters got cocky and thought they could beat pops, we sent them to the bottom of the ocean -”

“Focus, Thatch.”

“Right. Anyway, there’s the usual treasure… And a devil fruit! Man, those always sell great! Gonna be able to buy all those fucking expensive spices without my Lieutenant grumbling about our finances and shit -”

Annie raises her brows. “Wow, you’re not going to eat it? Some of those are pretty useful.”

“Nah. Like swimming too much, and really, I’m strong enough without one.” He boasts. It would probably be more impressive if he wasn’t having trouble standing straight.

“Ok, Mr. Big Shot, how about we go sit down for a while, hm?” She says in her best ‘dealing with kids, animals and drunks’ voice. 

“Noooo.” He hiccups, already turning on his heels in search for another waiter. “I’mma stay a little more.”

Annie narrows her eyes. “At least drink some water then. And don’t stay up ‘till morning!” She shouts at his retreating form.

“Sure, mom, sure.” He waves shakily, without turning around.

(Later, she will wish with all her might that she had insisted to help him to bed.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about all that unexplored whitebeard's canon angst!


	28. over and over, again (we keep that old wheel turning)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, but is it reincarnation or is the intergenerational trauma getting to them? That's the real question.  
> (Chapter title from "Torches")

When they tell her, she thinks it’s a joke.

“Yeah, sure, after all that drinking he must look like a zombie.” She snorts. Then she takes a look at the gravity in their faces, their red-rimmed eyes.

Her neck starts to grow tight.

"...You're joking, right? Don't know how to tell you guys, but this isn't funny."

"They found him in his room, all bled out. Someone stabbed him in the fucking back." A cook from the 4th division tells her, rage simmering under her level tone.

She shakes her head. "You - you've got a sick sense of humor! I saw Thatch a few hours ago, and he was just fine -"

_Where is his voice, c'mon Annie, find him, like a bullseye -_

_Silence is her only answer._

Her knees are suddenly too wobby for her to stay upright. "No…" She says in a wisp of a voice.

"Commander Thatch is dead, Annie." Clark tells her again, clutching her shoulders so firmly she thinks he might be in denial as well. "God, he's -" His voice cracks.

When he crumples in her arms, Annie isn't sure of who is comforting whom.

( _The silence is so loud she can't hear Ace. It fucking terrifies her.)_

**********************************

"Teach? _Fucking Teach?_ !" Ace snarls. The poor division member that reported to him about the missing man shrinks back. "That little - I should have known - _A crewmate killer -_ "

(Annie remembers how she'd feared his crooked smile. She wishes she hadn't pushed that gut feeling out of her mind - _but she supposes it doesn't matter anymore._ )

Smoke is coming out of his tensed shoulders. Annie, ignoring the alarming temperature of his skin, squeezes his shoulder. "You're scaring the kid, Ace."

He deflates. "Sorry, Han. Just - you can go now." Han immediately gets out of their sight, but Annie sees the worried look they send their commander over their shoulder. 

"Ace." Annie starts, carefully. Inside her, her second heartbeat beats wildly, his fury leaking into her mind. "You better not be thinking of something stupid."

He turns to her - opens his mouth, closes it. Takes in, she's sure, how hunched her shoulders are, how her voice is still shaky, how her eyes refuse to stay dry. Annie shows all the vulnerability he refuses to, and it must tug at some part of him, because - 

"...Don't worry about it. How about we - Come to my cabin. I think we… We could use an early night."

(She knows he's lying. He knows she does, too. Still, they curl around each other tight, hands laced together like a lifeline, 'till morning comes.)

***********************************

"He was from _my_ division, pops! It's my responsibility to avenge Thatch!" Ace spits out, already marching to his striker. The crowd moves away to let him pass.

"Bah! Couldn't you put some sense in his head, little Annie?" Pops asks her, but she sees it in his eyes, how he's already resigned. She is, too.

"Not even god themself could stop that moron now." She mumbles, eyes fixed on his retreating figure. "But at least I can try to do some damage control."

She jumps into the stricker without asking for permission. It's already ready for travel. _Fucking figures._

"Couldn't you at least take the Spadille? Your division would follow you in a heartbeat. Thatch's, too." She tries. Her voice cracks at her friend's name. It was only yesterday they'd had the funeral - she'd seen his body disappear between the waves, so terribly silently. 

"...No. I don't think I could forgive myself if I didn't do this on my own. Deuce will handle everything until I come back." He says, not even turning to face her.

"You're breaking your promise." She tells him, nearly a plead.

He finally looks at her. His expression is heavy with guilt, but she sees the flame burning in his eyes, confirming what she already knew - he would kill Marshal D. Teach or die trying.

(She should have known. She really should.)

"I'm not. I'll come back, I promise."

Annie takes his face in her hands and kisses him, then. It feels bitter. "Oh, Ace." She whispers once they part. "Don't you know this isn't how the story goes?"

(He never keeps his promise.)

His jaw is clenched tight. "...Not this time."

She wishes she could believe him.

(Once the striker disappears in the horizon, she feels it - a heartbeat perfectly aligned with hers, an unbreakable connection. Their bond finally settled. It should be one of their happiest moments - but the world was never so kind, was it?)

**********************************

She dreams of a lost boy looking up at the stars, looking down at his marked wrist with awe and fear. She dreams of wild forests and gray graveyards, of a kingdom of snow and one of endless deserts. She dreams of the distant laugh of a blond child with a top hat, and of a boy with a straw hat and a smile like the dawn.

She dreams, and dreams, and despite herself, she _hopes_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonded soulmates can share memories through dreams.  
> As always, thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about stupid kids that still didn't learn how to properly communicate!


	29. and you have taught me well to sit and wait (steadily becoming what i hate)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm once again being mean to Annie...  
> (Chapter title from "Dear Wormwood")

It happens when she's blowing off some steam in the shooting range. She's been doing that a lot lately.

( _Darkness. A flame burning out.)_

Her pistol slips from her hands and falls to the ground with a deafening _clank._

"Annie?" She hears lieutenant Hana call her, distantly.

( _She can't feel him.)_

"They have him." She whispers, dream-like, as the noose around her neck grows tighter like never before. She falls to her knees, clawing at it, sobbing quietly.

Someone is screaming, they're shaking her shoulders. She manages to focus on commander Izo's frantic expression, but she can't hear the words leaving his mouth.

"They have him, commander." She tells him in between heaving breaths, head spinning. It rings loudly in the sudden silence that befalls the range. "It's happening again."

( _And on, and on, and on we go..._ )

************************************

By the time the newspaper announces his execution, they're already back at the _Moby Dick_.

Pops takes one look at her and brings her into his arms. She can’t help but sob into his elbow while all around her, the Whitebeards prepare for war.

Since Ace’s voice has grown to a barely audible whisper in her mind, Annie can’t seem to stop looking at the horizon. It’s different from before - now her eyes are empty instead of expectant. No one can seem to bear to look at her for long, so she stays alone a lot.

(She thinks of her mother, standing on the porch night after night, and thinks she might understand it, now.)

Little Wendy keeps her company sometimes, at least, curls at her chest and holds their hands together, trying to keep her warm. Her hands are so cold lately. Annie wishes she were strong enough to refuse that little confort - she is sure her mind must not be a pleasant thing to read right now - but she has always been a selfish woman.

“You look like a dead fish, attention-seeker.” Haruta sneers at her the night their division arrives. “Shouldn’t you be polishing that pistol of yours or something?”

She lifts her head, lips pursed. “...I’m not stupid enough to think I’ll be allowed in battle, commander-brat. I’m a fucking mess.”

They brandish their sword with a snarl, letting it hover right above her heart. “Are you sure that’s you in there, attention-seeker? Never took you for a coward.”

_That_ sparks some anger. “Shut the fuck up, Haruta. Can’t you leave me alone now, at least?” 

“To do what? _Mourn_ , when Ace is not even dead? Don’t make me laugh!” They scream in her face. “Are you really staying here, waiting for the worst?!”

( _Waiting never did anyone good, Mama,_ she remembers wanting to say. She never did.)

She sacks her weapon, sliding the safety off. “Shut up!”

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

None of the bullets even graze them, but she expected that. 

“There you fucking are!” They laugh. It sounds almost crazed. “C’mon, attention-seeker. Care for a warm-up before the battle?”

“...Try to keep up, commander-brat.” She snarls, pulling a second pistol from her holster. Duel-wielding was the one trick she managed to copy from commander Izo.

Somehow, she finds herself smiling too. It looks deranged.

_Good._

She’d found her anger at last. She would need it again, just for a little while.

**************************************

“...Daughter. If you don’t wish to fight, know that we’ll do everything to -”

Annie lifts her chin and levels the strongest man in the world a gaze of steel. “Not even god themself could stop me from bringing that stupid man home, pops. Don’t waste your breath.”

(She thinks Thatch would have loved her defiance.)

“Ah. So it is like that. Take care of yourself.” He says then, with mournful eyes. Annie wonders how worried his heart must be, with so many of his children going to war. She knows he doesn’t think her strong enough, and maybe she really isn’t.

But she would have to go against his wishes now.

_Sorry, mama. I’m breaking my promise._

Fuck what the story is supposed to be - she is going to bring Ace home or die trying.

************************************

Once she joins them at the front lines, commander Izo only nods and tells her “Stick with your division. We all have your back”. Annie has to smile.

“How do you feel about kicking some marine butt, girlie?” Leim asks with an easy smile, crushing his last cigarette under his boot.

By his side, lieutenant Hana huffs. “You shouldn’t be so confident with your skill level, stupid.”

“You mean you’re not going to protect me, hun? I feel wounded.” 

She splutters. “You -!”

Those two were so laid-back, it almost made her forget to be afraid. But close by, Aiden and Zinnie are talking in hushed whispers, grave expressions in their faces. She has no doubt they were each trying to make the other turn back and stay at the ship. Annie has to look away when they embrace each other, feeling her heart ache.

(Ace’s presence is closer now, though his flame still feels so weak… It’s driving her mad.)

She grits her teeth once the old fleet admiral starts his speech, sacks her pistols. Annie has no doubt the whole world is watching this - Ace’s secret is fucking blown.

She wishes she had had time to say goodbye to everyone back in Baterilla. They must be having a stroke.

(She wishes no one had to die.)

Their ships emerge from the ocean, and the battle cries ring out. Distantly, she sees her soulmate, shackled to the execution stand. It sends rage burning through her. _Ace is sea-born, and made to be free. How dare they._

Telepathy is a bit of a stretch, even for soulmates - but she hopes he can feel her intent, as she chants it in her mind - _Wait for us._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...But she'll be alright.  
> As always, thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about that good old character development!


	30. i'll burn that old wheel down in the end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Marineford time, guys. Buckle in.  
> (Chapter title from "Hieroglyphs"; let me tell you, i've been waiting to use this one for a while!)

War is fucking terrifying.

Baterilla was bruised and battered from the aftermath of the world’s cruelty - but still, despite everything, Annie has only known peace while growing up. She thanks god for that. If she had to hear so many voices dying every day, she might have gone mad.

(If she had to _make_ so many voices die every day, she _would_ have gone mad.)

It’s shooting, dodging, warning someone to _look out!_ Again, and again, taking down a marine only to have another appear. Annie tries to think of them as obstacles, as monsters, and maybe some are - but she had the feeling that every surprised face she manages to defeat is going to be burned into her mind.

(She remembers Wendy saying her heart was too big for her body. Annie fears it will make her bleed out long before they reach the execution platform. 

_God,_ she is so relieved the brat is not here.)

Seeing a comrade fall is the worst, though. She doesn’t even know most of them, but they were fighting for Ace, they were Whitebeard’s children, just like her. 

(Pops is taking a ridiculous amount of wounds. Even one of them has betrayed him. It makes her lip quiver.)

But if there’s one highlight to that nightmare, is the appearance of Ace’s little brother. The kid is like an unstoppable force of nature, just like Ace had told her, just like she had seen in her dreams. She’s not surprised when pops tells them to back him up - some people in this sea are so remarkable the strength of their heart’s desire changes the world, and one of them is surely Monkey D. Luffy.

“Fuck. It’s empty.” Annie swears. Her last row of bullets is finally gone. She picks up a marine rifle and prays she is strong enough to use it. At least the sea-stone bullets could come in handy. 

“Annie, duck!” Someone screams. Annie immediately plasters herself to the ground. The telltale sound of someone’s bones being crushed rings out. She winces. 

“That was a close one.” A hand extended to her. Annie looks up - Masked Deuce, breathing heavily, gives her a shaky smile. “Man, this is _so_ not my territory.”

“Thanks.” She tells the man, taking his hand. “And honestly - same.”

“Ace would have killed me if I let his girl die.” He dismisses her thanks, but his chest is a little puffed up. Ace’s lieutenant is not really a combat guy, but she supposes that things like that don’t really matter when a loved one’s life is on the line.

“Well, I’ll be sure to stick by the 2nd division then. And if you need me to shoot someone’s brains out -”

He sends her a thankful nod. They advance together - staying in a group was getting more and more difficult as the battle grew more chaotic.

(Ace already had so many close calls - she’s going to have a fucking heart attack.)

But then - her bond mark starts to burn. A whirlwind of fire takes over the entire stand, lights up the battlefield. Sends her heart soaring.

_That kid really did it - he’s free._

(But it’s never that simple, is it?)

*************************************

The second that asshole of an admiral starts to spew his bullshit, Annie knows what’s going to happen. Her second heartbeat is going wild again, the same reckless bloodlust that had taken him when Thatch died. The same bloodlust that was going to take him from her.

“Help me.” She hisses to Masked Deuce, and he must have seen something in her eyes because he doesn’t protest. Together, they start to retreat back to the thick of the fight, opening their way through the lines with elbows and punches and bullets and sheer desperation.

At some point, her sweat-soaked scarf is grabbed by someone. Annie elbows the enemy in the gut and rips the tatters out. _That’s useless now. Let the world see._

She can see it - Ace’s burned form, the way Akainu’s gaze turns to his precious little brother - _Oh no, you motherfucker._

It almost feels like it’s someone else’s body - the cold that falls over her, the sounds that fade away, the mechanical motions of _safety off, take aim, firm hands, now -_

( _"_ _Painting requires a firm hand, little heart.”)_

_So does shooting, mama, did you know?_

_Bang._

Akainu must not have even registered her as a threat. His mistake. No matter how strong magma is, a sea-stone bullet between the eyes is still deadly.

When she comes down from her haze, the battlefield is still silent. Ah, that’s her fault, isn’t it?

“Always wondered why no one aims for the head.” She can’t help but say, eyeing the fallen admiral with a sort of cold satisfaction that would disgust her anytime but now. _I hope old man Jack saw that._

“Annie!” Her wide-eyed, _stupid moron of a soulmate_ breathes out. “You’re okay -!”

“ _I’m_ okay?!” The scream is almost a snarl. Ace blinks, taken aback. “I can’t even believe you - you reckless idiot -” She takes a deep breath, marches towards him and shoves a finger at his chest. “You’re not allowed to die until we’re _old and grey_! So shut up and let me take you home!”

“Also, hello Luffy, it’s great to finally meet you!” She waves at Ace’s little brother with a polite smile. The boy smiles back and _oh_ , Ace’s smile is still her favorite but that one is a very close second.

“Ah, you’re Ace’s Annie! You’re gonna take care of him, right?”

“Of course!” She replies without missing a beat, ignoring Ace’s spluttering ‘ _shouldn’t this be the other way around?!’_

“Oh. Great!” He nods at her - and then promptly faints. Annie would have been more scared if he didn’t still have that dumb smile on his face.

“Poor kid, must have been exhausted. Hey, Ace, be a good brother and carry him, would’ja?”

“Wha - Would you slow down a moment, woman?” He groans, pulling at his very greasy hair. She’s almost sorry for him. Almost.

“I mean, I could, but any moment now those idiots watching us will realize they’ve been standing still for a full minute and start to shoot at us. So… Get moving. And, hm,” Annie looks down at her very wobbly knees, _don’t judge her, ok, she’s fucking terrified -_ “...you probably should carry me too.”

Silence for a beat.

“What the hell?! She’s right! Attack them!”

“Whitebeards, retreat!” 

“Who the fuck is that girl anyway -”

“They’re _alive_!”

“Kill Firefist and his soulmate!”

“That’s our Annie!"

“Davy fucking Jones.” Ace swears before sweeping her up. His friend Jimbei offers to carry Luffy, and then they’re all running for their lives.

************************************

It’s still not perfect. (Of course it isn’t.)

The earth trembles beneath their feet as pops separates them from the marines, finally capable of fighting with nothing holding him back.

( _He’s going to die, he’s going to -_ )

Fucking _Teach_ and his lackeys with their dark-soaked voices and their cowardly attacks - she has to hold Ace back from going back again, she doesn’t have the strength to save him again.

“The One Piece is real!” Their father’s voice echoes through the battlefield - _through the world -_ as he single handedly starts a new era. 

(Annie doesn’t care about that, she would rather have him with them, she needs to tell him she _loves_ him -)

She clings to Ace as she cries, and he sobs so hard she feels it deep in his chest. They’re both orphans again.

********************************

It’s a very close escape. Ace refuses to get separated from his brother and there’s still two damn admirals at their tail. Of all escape vessels, it’s a _yellow submarine_ that takes them away from the sinking Marineford.

“Hey, don’t I know you from somewhere?” Annie manages to say, still reeling from all the adrenaline, when she lays eyes on the rookie captain that saved them. 

“Must you flirt with other guys in front of me?” Ace mumbles tiredly as he collapses on the ground. He’s probably off to sleep for a week now, and frankly it’s better this way - he’ll be able to avoid the emotional backslash for a while. 

( _Pops is dead, the Whitebeards collapsed, who the fuck knows who else survived, Ace’s secret is out and so is hers, how on earth does Luffy knows Akagami no Shanks -_ )

“What was... Ah, you commissioned a painting from me once! Your hometown, right?” 

“...I have no idea of what you’re talking about.” Trafalgar Law says with gritted teeth, before ordering his crew to take Luffy to his surgical room, since apparently the kid was in a _way worse_ state than they thought, _fuck._

 _I wonder if it’s a good idea to let the ‘Surgeon of Death’ operate Ace’s little brother._ _Well, he was polite enough to me back then, so maybe he’s not a complete psycho._

She lets out a delirious chuckle before passing out cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you mean the Spades weren't in Marineford? Of course they were. Also, did I give Annie guns just so she could shoot Akainu in the face? Absolutely. No regrets there. And by the way, that scene was inspired by the wonderful fic "Watashitachi wa Roger kaizoku desu (we still stand proud)", including the panic attack part, haha.  
> ...I do regret killing off Mr. Whitebeard. Ouch. Processing all that grief isn't going to be pretty for the two of them.  
> Thank you very much for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about this emotional train-wreck of a chapter! Seriously I'm starving for feedback.


	31. all the things we’ve broken (can be puzzled together again)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath.  
> (Chapter title from "Soap")

“Y-You were really lucky, Miss.” Or so tells her the soft-spoken polar bear mink from Dr. Trafalgar’s crew who has been nursing her for the past two days, one of which she has completely slept through. “You mostly had superficial wounds, and those are gone already.”

“Hm, I wonder if Ace’s monstrous healing rate has passed onto me somehow…” She muses, looking down at her healing ankle, the only thing keeping her in bed for now. She could barely remember spraining it, but then again, she wasn’t much of a runner, and there was a lot of running in Marineford.

(How was it fair that she escaped with such light wounds when Ace was burned and half-starved from his time in prison and his little brother wrecked his own body with healing hormones?)

( _Pops’s body had been littered with bullet and stab wounds -)_

“...Sorry.” Her fluffy nurse bows his head. 

“Hm? Why are you apologizing... Mr. Bepo, isn’t it? You’ve done nothing wrong.”

“But you looked really sad…” 

Figures she couldn’t even keep her composure these days.

“Don’t worry about that. How are my boys?” She keeps her tone light.

“Oh, Fire Fist will wake up in a week maybe… But Straw Hat will probably stay comatose for two weeks or more.”

“Cut that time in half for both of them, Mr. Bepo. You’re underestimating their fighting spirit.” Annie decides, feeling her the corner of her lip tug up - Dr. Trafalgar and his sleep-deprived crew had no idea of the kind of hell it would be to have the brothers as their patients.

(They were never without injuries for long when they were children, at least in her dreams.)

“By the way, I’ve heard some ruckus above deck this morning…? Can it even be called a deck if it’s a submarine?” She ponders.

“Oh… Right. Miss Pirate Empress came here looking for Straw Hat. We’re heading to her island now.” 

Annie’s jaw hovers open for a moment. “T-The Pirate Empress? You mean Boa Hancock, right? God, Luffy has friends in some high places - wait, wait, did any Whitebeard ship come looking for us?”

Bepo fiddles with his hands for a beat, then two, and Annie’s heart sinks. “I… see.”

“Is… Is there anything you would like to make yourself comfortable?”

Annie’s eyebrows shoot up, and a full smile slowly opens way in her face. “Well, aren’t you a sweetheart? Thanks for the concern, but - no, actually, do you have any drawing supplies?”

“I… I think Penguin likes to draw sometimes? I’ll ask him.”

Annie, unable to resist the urge anymore, reaches up and pats his head. “Thanks, Mr. Bepo. You’re the best.”

She didn’t think a polar bear could blush, but well - Annie has seen stranger things.

********************************

She dreams of a missed shot and a burning hand through his ribcage.

" _Thank you for loving me."_

(She wakes up with a clenched throat and a desperate prayer, heard by none.)

*******************************

She knows when Ace wakes up before anyone else. 

(A languid heartbeat going suddenly wild, the sudden influx of feelings like a dam exploding - _shock, confusion, pain rage grief -_ )

Annie, ignoring the light twinge on her bandaged ankle, jumps to her feet. She barely needs to use Observation to find his room, after months of straining their bond to be able to feel him all through his damned hunt for Teach. Now he’s like a beacon in her mind.

Halfway through her walk, the screams start. She fastens her pace.

“Oh god, please sit down!”

“You can’t get out yet -

“ _Where are they?!”_ Her soulmate bellows.

She bursts into the room just as the poor men start to lose their fight to keep Ace in his bed. One of them, noticing her, splutters something she doesn’t bother to listen.

“Commander Marco would scold you to death for this kind of stunt.” She reprimands him, brows raised.

Ace’s head snaps in her direction so fast she thinks it might have made him dizzy. He was likely as stuffed with meds as she had been upon waking, and in retrospect she really should have told Dr. Trafalgar that trying to sedate Ace was a _bad_ idea.

“See? I’m fine. No need to raise a fuss. Luffy is snoring in another room too.” She says in her best soothing voice, slowly stumbling towards him. “Oh, don’t make me walk all the way. Come here.”

Just to be contrary, Ace drags _her_ towards his bed, and into his arms - _of course_ his first instinct is to cuddle. Though by the way he envelops her, it’s more like he’s trying to shield her instead. From everything.

It brings tears to her eyes so fast it would be embarrassing at any other time.

_(Fuck composure, she doesn’t give a damn anymore.)_

“You’re ok.” She sobs into his chest , and somehow feeling his frantic heartbeat against her fingers made it more real than having it in her mind. “ _You’re alive._ ”

He’s crying too, big heaving gasps and hot tears against her shoulder. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I broke our promise - I messed up - _Pops is dead_ -”

Her arms are maybe too tight around him, nails sinking into his (whole) back. It’s just as well, because the searing heat of his fingers is sure to leave marks on her. She can’t bring herself to mind, because he’s _alive._

“That’s - not your fault.” Her voice cracks, too full of emotion. “God, even if you're a reckless idiot, pops’ death was _never_ your fault. All of us chose to be there. All of us - and _you had given up, It bled through me -_ ”

“I thought about it, but - but Luffy was there, and Deuce and the guys, and Pops, and _you_ , you were fighting so hard - _Annie, you were so fucking brilliant -_ and just like that I -”

“Say it.” She says between tears and gritted teeth. “ _Ace, tell me you want to live._ ”

It’s like his breath has been stolen out of his lungs. A beat, then two -

“ _I want to live.”_ He sobs. “Even if home doesn’t exist anymore, I want you to take me back.”

Annie, despite all odds, laughs. The type of belly-deep, delighted laugh that pops loved.

“Me too. God, me too. Fuck how the story is supposed to be - we are going to _live,_ Ace.”

“And no broken promises this time.” He says, and she can’t quite see his face from this angle, but she _feels_ him, and this time - 

This time she believes him.

( _Maybe it’s been a different story all along.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so a gut punch there with the nightmare, but then - communication, softness, and character development. Ahhh, my favorite type of chapter. Also, Ace deserved one "i want to live" moment, fuck you canon.  
> As always, thank you very much for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about how I have no clue of how to edit those last few chapters *nervous chuckle*.


	32. i want to spin something out of nothing (lead to gold)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And chaotic family reunions all around!  
> (Chapter title from "Zephyrus")

If Ace’s awakening was dramatic - and Annie's heard the teasing comments from the Heart Pirates she had completely forgotten were in the room at the time, it _was_ \- then Luffy’s was like a _bomb set off._

“ _Aceeee_! You’re okay!” The rubber boy wails as his arms quite literally encase Ace’s entire body. 

(Annie is _not_ jealous.)

“Luffy…” Ace’s exasperated sigh is so _big-brotherly_ Annie has to repress a smile. “At least free my arms so I can hug back.”

“You shouldn’t be hugging him at all!” Dr. Trafalgar barks at them. Annie hasn’t seen the man in person since Marineford, but the dark circles under his eyes tell her Luffy’s treatment hadn’t been a walk in the park. “How he’s already _walking_ is beyond me -”

“Just give up, Dr. Trafalgar.” Annie offers him a polite smile. “Those two are fond of breaking natural conventions. And frankly they aren’t even close to being the weirdest in this ocean.”

The man’s head turns sharply towards her. There’s something strangely disconcerted about his expression. “Doctor -” He starts, before clenching his mouth shut.

_Oh. I guess they don’t call the Surgeon of Death a doctor often…_

“I could call you ‘Captain Trafalgar’ if you prefer it.” She gently suggests. “But you _are_ a doctor, aren’t you? You saved Luffy’s life and had your crew take care of me and Ace for an entire week now. Thank you.” She bows her head.

He’s likely older than her, but his eyes look very young now.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m trying to build alliances for the future.” He harshly says.

“Oh, yeah, you were the one that helped us.” Ace manages to turn his head to look at Dr. Trafalgar. “Luffy, let me go for a - thanks. And uh, Law, right? Thank you for saving my little brother’s life, and for taking care of my soulmate."

“So now he remembers his manners…” She mumbles, watching with the corner of her eyes as Dr. Trafalgar pretends not to be affected by their gratitude. “Don’t forget to thank Mr. Jimbei too after this -”

She’s abruptly cut off by a set of rubber arms _a lot stronger than they look_ tackling her.

“Sweet god -” Annie shouts as she falls rather ungracefully to her butt, and comes face to face with Luffy’s bright eyes.

“Shishishi. Sorry. You’re weaker than I thought!” He bluntly tells her. She can hear Ace laughing in the background, the bastard.

“Jeez, thanks.” 

“But you kept Ace safe, so I like you.” His gaze is very intense, suddenly - she’s strangely reminded of little Wendy and her old eyes, though it’s not exactly the same feeling. It sends a shiver down her spine regardless. “Keep doing that, ok? I can’t stick around for too long now.”

Unable to find words, she nods, and hopes he will see the truth in her eyes. He must, because he finally lets her go and smiles again, and it’s like the dawn breaking through the night.

“Wait, what are you doing now? I haven’t seen your crew, are they coming to pick you or -” Ace pipes up, and the audible worry on his voice is downright _adorable._

“...No. I lost them.” The smile is gone from Luffy’s face again, and that hat of his shadows his eyes, so she can’t quite see what expression he’s doing. “I gotta get stronger so I can bring them back home. _And I will._ ”

_A captain’s words in such a juvenile voice - a king’s expression in the face of a boy with a straw hat,_ she thinks, and a part of her feels like laughing.

(It's strangely fitting.)

********************************

After that, things start to happen pretty quickly.

“Empress Hancock! There’s two Whitebeard ships asking to port here -”

“ _Let them!_ ” Annie and Ace scream in unison, turning pleading, desperate gazes at the imposing woman. Her chin is tilted up and her lips pursed in disgust, but then her gaze slides to Luffy and she visibly _softens_. 

_God bless Luffy’s charm._

“Captain Law, a weird guy just came here _swimming_ and he’s asking for Straw Hat and Fire Fist!”

_Wait, that’s -_

“E-Empress! _Garp the Fist_ is plowing through the island, looking for his grandkids! We don’t think we can stop him!”

_No, really, would you slow down there?!_

******************************

" _Big sis, you were so cool!_ " Little Wendy comes barreling into her chest. "I wasn't afraid for you at all, I knew you were going to do it!"

Annie feels a sting in her eyes, and hides it into Wendy's curls. "Thanks, brat."

"Hey, don't monopolize her, squirt. Commander is gonna cry." Leim draws out. Annie's heart goes cold at the bags under his eyes, the tired slouch of his shoulders.

"Hana had a close call." He explains once he notices her distress, forcing a smile. "I'm sure she'll say an arm is not that big of a price to pay when she wakes up. Stupid, noble girl."

"The 16th has seen better days." Dr. Walter offers her a tired nod. "A lot of us are injured or… missing, and some strays from other divisions ended up with us in the rush of the escape. At least teaming up with the _Spadille_ helped us avoid the Navy."

Annie's gaze strays to the 2nd division puppy pile, a mess of angry shouts and tears as they rounded their commander. Despite his protests, the wide smile Ace couldn’t quite keep away from his face told another story. It lifts a weight in her heart, to see him like that. This is a joyful occasion.

"Ace! You damn brat!" 

…Mostly.

Nearly every pirate present sacks their weapons at the sight of the vice-admiral advancing upon Ace's form, but Annie raises a (reluctant) hand to stop them - Ace’s trust towards the man bleeds through their bond, overcoming the warmth of affection and the pinch of annoyance, and even the deep-rooted resentment. She might not like Garp the Fist, but she respects Ace’s feelings.

Then the old man grabs her soulmate by the scruff of the shirt she had forced him to wear and shakes him like a limp doll, and her hand twitches towards her weapon. _That - damn geezer!_

" _S_ _tupid reckless brat!_ Making me choose between you and my job! Why didn't you just become a marine?” Ah, that must have been his famed 'Fist of Love'... _No, Leim, why are you holding me back? I’m gonna kill this old man -_

Ace, however, limits himself to rub the top of his head and _pout_. " _Shut up,_ shitty gramps! If you _really_ cared you would have helped me escape!"

" _Why do you THINK I'm here?!_ " Garp the Fist bellows, and to everyone's amazement tears sprout on the corner of his eyes. He lets Ace fall to the ground, all the while trying very hard to suppress his sniffles. "Stupidly reckless… Roger's to the bone… and Whitebeard's influence… What was I _thinking?_ "

"Letting him be raised by mountain bandits might have helped. Just saying." Annie can't help but put in, and if her voice was a bit… frostier than usual then it was her business, alright?

The old man's throaty laugh takes her aback because for the first time she sees Luffy in his face. "Ha, you've got some guts, girl! Officially I probably should be killing you on sight -" Her lip curls into the beginnings of a snarl. “but off the record… _Good job._ "

The note of sheer viciousness in Garp the Fist's voice is enough to give her pause. She assesses the clench of his teeth, the frustration on his shoulders, the grey in his hair - and most of all, the way his eyes can’t quite stop following Ace, like he can’t believe he’s actually alive.

_Ah. Damn it. How can I hate him now?_

“Annie can’t hate anyone for long!” Wendy giggles, clinging to her leg. 

The tension dissolves as most everyone laughs. Annie takes a deep sigh and ignores the heat on her face. “...Pleased to meet you, Mr. Garp.”

“Bah, don’t be like that! C’mon, give me a hug, I’ve never had a granddaughter before -”

_Yes, he’s definitely Luffy’s grandfather._

“Keep your hands off her, geezer!” Ace snarls at him with a lot less aggression than he would if it were… anyone else, really.

“Fine, fine, I’ll talk to her later - ah! I forgot! Where’s my _other_ idiotic grandson?!”

“Pretty sure he’s talking to Silvers Rayleigh -”

“ _That bastard?!_ He _still_ owns me one after cleaning his messes in Sabaody - no grandchild of mine is going closer to that one -!”

“Am I included in this now?” Annie raises a brow, thinking of how she could use a few _words_ with the Pirate King’s first mate for abandoning his Captain’s son.

(...And she might be a bit curious about the man too, don’t judge her - he’s a _legend_.)

“Is this your biggest concern now?” Commander Izo’s tired voice rings out from behind her, and Annie freezes like a deer in the headlights. “Really Annie, you ought to rework your priori -” Izo is unable to finish whatever the hell he was saying, because Annie _jumps_ onto the man with no abandon whatsoever, clinging to his torso like a koala.

_“I was so worried!”_ She sobs into his chest. “Why did you take so long, big brother?!”

“I don’t remember her being so clingy when _I_ woke up…” She can faintly hear Ace complain. Ungrateful bastard.

“Mr. Ace is jealous!” Little Wendy sing-songs - she feels Ace’s blush simmering under her own skin. 

Masked Deuce snorts. “I could have told you that, kiddo!”

What remains of the 2nd and 16th divisions join into the teasing, while Garp the Fist spots Luffy and his strange visitor - here goes the shouted family reunions again - but Annie frankly doesn’t give a damn.

Because after being frozen for some long, awkward seconds, commander Izo hugged her back just as tight. He doesn’t apologize, but she can hear it anyway in the way he never tells her to keep her tears off his clothes, in the way he smiles into the crook of her neck.

Deep inside, she can hear her and Ace’s bounded souls, for the first time in a week, sing lighter tunes, the first step to shed the grief so tightly clung to them.

_(Their family might be broken apart, but some of the pieces are still here.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't tend to give out POV from other characters when I'm writing just from one person's perspective, but Annie won't really know this otherwise, so - Law didn't have that gut-punched moment for being called a doctor, but more so because he was called "Dr. Trafalgar", which is how everyone called his parents back in Flevance. For a guy so emotionally-repressed as Law, it was kind of an unwanted callback.  
> Also, Luffy is a gift. I should make this a tag. Garp being an old loveable asshole too, actually...  
> Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about how it's really good we're at the end line, because I was beginning to run out of songs!


	33. i’ve seen the things i must do (but oh, this road is meant for two)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The "now what?" moment!  
> (Chapter title from "Cold is the Night")

“Lay low? What do you mean _lay low_?” Ace raises his voice, and there’s already a hint of smoke coming through his nostrils. Annie sighs.

“Exactly what it seems, Ace.” Commander Izo seems to be holding back a sigh of his own. “Right now, you are the most wanted man in the world, and Annie here is not far behind -”

“Fuck, I have a _bounty?_ ” Annie’s eyes grow wide.

“Girlie,” Leim shakes his head, thoroughly amused. “you killed an admiral.” 

“Oh. Right.”

“ _Anyways,_ ” Izo glares at them both. “If you join us now, in our weakened state, it’s like marking an even bigger target on our backs.” He bluntly says.

Both her and Ace hang their heads low. _I hate it when he’s right,_ Annie thinks, bitter.

“If it’s any consolation, most of us are going into hiding for a while. Before we can regroup.”

“Will commander Marco…?” Annie starts, tentatively.

“He’s always said the Whitebeard Pirates would end with our father.” Izo softly denies. “His shoes are too great to be filled.”

Annie’s heart twists at her chest, thinking of laughter that could shake the earth and of how gentle his hands were when they embraced her. _No,_ she silently agrees, _no one will ever fill this void again._

“But I know Marco. Even though he never had a taste for violence, like most doctors, he won't be able to ignore this… _affront_ .” A vein bulges in commander Izo’s forehead. “Teach will _pay._ ”

Annie’s shoulders go stiff. “...Another war.”

 _Or a slaughter,_ she thinks, remembering the sheer _wrongness_ of Blackbeard’s presence in her mind’s eye, how cowardly they'd fought, how they’d _stolen_ pops’ fruit. 

“Another war…” Ace starts, a note of desperation seeping into his voice. “And you want us to hide?!”

“Ace.” She grabs his hand, pulls him to look into her eyes. “Please.”

( _Darkness. A flame burning out.)_

He stops. Grits his teeth and wills the frustrated tears in his eyes away.

“Fine. Where do we go? The whole world is on our damn trail, and Luffy is staying here. Hell if I’ll put him in even more danger.”

(She knows that in his heart, he wants to stay with Luffy, train with him like in the old times. But he’s too good of a brother to be selfish like that. It breaks her heart a little.)

“That’s a bit more complicated. I was thinking -”

“Baterilla.” She says, and all fall silent. Ace looks distinctly uncomfortable, because of course he does. There’s a reason Baterilla doesn’t have twenty-two years olds.

“...Annie, that is likely one of the first places they will look once they track you -”

She lifts her chin up, mouth a hard line, but eyes soft with pride, with _faith_ in her people.

“They are waiting for us.” She tells them. “They won’t fail their children a second time.”

A distressed line grows between his brows, but commander Izo doesn't argue.

“...I see.” He finally says, and by the distant look in his eyes Annie knows he’s thinking of his own home, the shining jewel he named his ship after. And she knows he understands then.

*******************************

They leave Amazon Lily three days later, with commander Izo’s emergency number, a hug and a smile from Luffy, and a vow from the Spade Pirates to go to the sea again, whenever their captain is ready. The one to take them south… Well.

“Never thought I would cross the calm belt in a marine ship.” Annie remarks with a raised brow and a shaky smile, side-eyeing the few terrified but presumably loyal marines Garp had dared to bring to his little off-the-record family reunion. “Life truly takes you to the weirdest places.”

“Tell me about it.” Ace grunts, pulling at the collar of his borrowed shirt with distaste. She had insisted on him at least _trying_ to conceal his identity while they were laying low, so no walking around half-naked or throwing fireballs around for Mr. Ace here. She had tried to make him grow a beard too, but Garp’s grimace told her it would do more harm than good.

“Anniee! Look, you’re in the news!” Little Wendy hops up to them with an excited grin, points a finger at the bounty section.

Annie’s mouth hovers open. “...That’s a lot of zeros.” 

Ace groans. “What did you expect, really?”

Wendy nods, sagely. “Yep. You were pretty cool. Everyone is kinda scared of you now.”

“Small fries under Garp the Fist aren’t everyone, little heart.” Annie tries to make eye contact with one of the marines, who yelps and downright _runs away._ “...Ok, so maybe you have a point. God, Miss Club is going to tease me until the day she dies, the old hag.”

“Your employer, right?” Ace raises a brow, the very picture of nonchalance - but Annie feels the way worry starts to swell on his chest. 

She enlaces their hands and holds his tight. “Don’t worry. They’re gonna love you.”

“And me!” Wendy puffs her cheeks up, eyeing their hands with unabashed, childish jealousy. “And daddy too.”

Annie lets go of Ace’s hand to mess with Wendy’s hair, pretending to not see his pout and her victorious smile. “Definitely. There’s lots of kids your age there too, so you won’t even seem out of place.” 

_“A normal place for Wendy to grow. No one will ever hunt you two for her power again.”_ She thinks of the confidence in her voice when she told Dr. Walter those words, hopes the world will be kind enough to let that little family have at least this. 

(And if it isn’t, then Annie will _make it_ kind enough.)

“Now give me the newspaper, brat. I’ve been disconnected from the world for two weeks now.” She extends her hand. Wendy rolls her eyes and hands it to her before running off to terrorize some poor cabin boy. Forget Ace, Baterilla is not ready for this girl.

Shaking her head, Annie turns her gaze to the newspaper. “So Luffy went back to that ruin of a battlefield, huh? And left a nice message to his crew… By imitating your tattoos.” A teasing smirk paints her lips. “Poor kid.”

“Hey.” He protests. “My style is super cool.”

She hums. “Sure, honey, whatever you say.” 

“...Two years, then.” He says in a murmur, eyes fixed on the unnaturally calm ocean, on the creatures lurking under the water’s surface. 

“Yeah.” 

“Is it enough time?” 

“It has to be.” 

She isn’t sure if the quiet flame burning in their hearts is his or hers, but it doesn’t matter.

They have to become strong enough to live - not survive, but _live_ \- in a world that desires neither of them, nor the ones they love.

_(A promise unbroken. A noose unlaced. A compromise she’d never realized was possible.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've planned for Baterilla to be the beginning and end of the fic from the start, and I thought I'd made it obvious, so I'm glad I was able to surprise someone with the way things turned out! The one thing I changed was Wendy and her father coming along for the ride, which is mostly because I remembered how the whitebeards were pretty much hunted down during the timeskip and was like "not my gremilin child!".  
> As always, thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about whether it's normal to be so fucking proud of your OC's character development!


	34. it’s gonna hurt like hell (but we’re gonna be well)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well guys, it's the end line.  
> (Chapter title from "Soap")

“It might be better for you to not step foot on the island.” She warns Garp the Fist once Baterilla comes into the horizon. “Actually, I’m afraid they’ll shoot the entire ship on sight.”

The infuriating old man limits himself to laugh that deep, loud laugh that reminds her of Ace’s little brother. “Don’t worry so much, granddaughter!”

Annie’s eye twitches. “...Sure, Mr. Garp.”

Another laugh - but just as she thinks he’s about to wander off, he puts a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looks up at his suddenly serious expression with wide eyes.

“This is the only marine ship that’ll ever come closer to Baterilla from now on.” He tells her, with such surety in his voice she can’t help but believe in him. “The ‘lost generation’ will never happen again as long as I live.”

“...It’s kind of you to say that, but it wouldn’t happen anyway.” She narrows her eyes, offers the marine hero a smile too sharp to be friendly. “Because we would never allow it.”

_Not the generation that lost it all once already. Not the children that grew up seeing its aftermath. Not the child that caused it just by daring to live._

“Good.” Garp the Fist nods, unflinching.

Annie has to suppress a frustrated growl - _there he goes again, making it hard for me to hate him._

There’s a twitch in the corner of Garp’s mouth that tells her the stupid geezer knows exactly what he’s doing. “Well, I better make sure those idiots don’t crash the ship. Goodbye, _granddaughter_!”

“...The nerve of that guy.” She shakes her head. “I gotta make sure he and old man Jack _never_ meet. Master would kill him instantly.”

“That would be fun to watch.” Ace yawns, waking up from his latest nap on the deck. Had (nearly) every marine in the ship not been terrified of talking to him, they probably wouldn’t have allowed him to just lounge around like that. “So that’s it, huh? It’s even smaller than Goa.”

“Hey. Only I can insult my hometown.” 

“Oh, so _now_ it’s not mine too.” He rolls his eyes.

“It’s only official when you step foot there.” She shoots back, before opening a fond smile. “Just be prepared to be swarmed with nosy questions. They won’t pull any punches just because you’re new.”

“...They’ll bug us about our bond all the time, won’t they?”

“Yep.”

“Joy.” 

“But it’ll be worth it, won’t it?” It leaves her mouth unthinkingly. 

“Yeah.” He gives her a strangely thoughtful look.“Yeah, of course it will.”

When they come aport, there’s already a crowd there, with hope and dread in equal measures in their faces. Old man Jack is at the head, and she would bet all the money she had he was armed to the teeth. _He did take what I said to heart, that old softie._

“Alrighty. You can go down now.” One of the crewmen shouts at them, and his voice only shakes a little so she counts it as a victory. 

“Dr. Walter and Wendy will probably need to get their stuff first, so they’ll go a little later. Don’t raise the anchor so fast, would you?” She tells the man with a polite smile.

“Y-Yes, sir - I mean, ma’am!”

She sighs, ignoring Ace’s snicker. “...Ok. Let’s just go.” 

The screams start the _second_ they spot Annie’s form going down.

“It’s little Annie!”

“We were so worried!”

“You’re in so much trouble, Ann -”

“But we’re proud too!”

“Took you long enough, girl.” Old man Jack grumbles once she’s in front of him. She smiles and lets him pull her into a hug. “Good shot, by the way.”

“It was, wasn’t it?” She beams at him before looking behind her. “Ace, you big baby, stop hiding!”

“ _Not hiding._ ” He hisses at her from up in the ship.

“Is that Ace? Oh man, let us see him!”

“- She brought him, guys, she did it!”

“Keep it down, guys.” Miss Club sighs, sending Annie a wink. “We don’t want to scare her boy away, do we?”

The sheer _happiness_ Annie is feeling must finally bleed through enough to bring Ace some confidence, because he jumps down to shore. Show-off.

“Finally! Guys, meet Ace. Ace, meet -”

“Welcome home!”

“Oh my, he’s as handsome as he looked in the bounty poster!”

“Yeah, look at that blush, he’s Rouge’s alright…”

Any other day, the way her town _immediately_ left her in the dust to go gawk at Ace might have offended her, but her poor soulmate looks so overwhelmed - and _relieved_ \- that she can’t bring herself to do anything but laugh.

_Yeah, it’s going to be worth it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It would be mean to leave only the epilogue to be posted tomorrow, so today is our first and last triple update! I do feel like rambling a little, but I'll leave it to the next chapter.  
> Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment and let's talk about things that come in full circle!


	35. i’ll give you my best shot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An ending, and a beginning.  
> (Chapter title from "Soap")

That night, after all celebrations die down and Garp’s ship is long gone, she slips away from her old house, a bottle of the sake Mama had said was her sister's favorite at hand. 

At her back, she could still hear the distant sounds of Ace and Wendy fighting over the last few bites of the dinner she had made, while Dr. Walter tries to keep the peace. They would likely find a place for themselves later, but for now - she had a full house. It’s comforting, despite everything.

As she reaches Baterilla’s too-big cemetery by the shore, Annie breathes in the ocean breeze. The ocean still called to her, but she could wait to go back to it. She was a sea child, but a landbound girl too, at heart. Like her mother.

She hadn't known their graves were side by side - she'd never had the courage to visit before. It's fitting. She arranges three cups carefully and pours them some.

"Thank you for loving me, mama." She smiles down at the grave with teary eyes. "Don't worry about me anymore. I'll be fine."

Then she bows her head respectfully at Ace's mother's grave. "I owe you an apology, Miss Rouge. I understand now."

Some people are so remarkable that the force of their heart's desire changed the world, and Portgas D. Rouge, who lived and loved and died on her own terms, had always been one of them. 

_And I might just end up as one too,_ Annie tips her head to drink her own cup. _But I'll do it my way. No one will be left behind, shouldering a burden that isn’t theirs._

"Don't worry about him either. We have each other now - and we're just getting started." Annie smiles and sets the bottle down.

She is almost twenty when she realizes her life is her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, this really just started as a fun Ace/OC fanfic, but over time the themes I wanted to portray became more personal and, at the same time, Annie became her own character and grew beyond just being a love interest - so this is how this part of her journey ends, though these two as a couple are just starting to make their mark in the world.  
> Not everyone likes this type of fanfic, but I do think that a few people did, and I want to thank everyone that read until this point one last time. Leave me a comment, and tell me what things you liked, disliked, or didn't really understand!


End file.
